Advance Directives
The best medical decisions result when you share your own personal beliefs and wishes with your physicians, nurses, and other clinicians, as well as family and friends.
Advance care planning is the process of planning ahead for medical care in the event you are unable to communicate your wishes to your family and health care providers. It involves at least two parts:
- Discussing your values and wishes for care with family and health care providers
- Recording these wishes in documents called advance directives
The purpose of an advance directive is to provide information about your beliefs and wishes when you are unable to do this for yourself. The best time to make health care decisions is before you are ill, when you can carefully consider your options.
For more information, see the Advance Care Planning page on the DHMC Care Management website.
