Advance Directive For Providers
Advance Directives
An Advance Directive is a form completed by a patient that directs providers how to deliver care in situations when the patient is unable to communicate or make medical decisions for themselves. Advance Directives explain a patient’s health care choices and end-of-life care preferences, and makes them known. The form also allows the patient to identify someone to act as their health care advocate with decision-making responsibility for their care if necessary.
An Advance Directive can be detailed and include types of care and/or treatments a patient would accept or refuse to continue their life. Some types of Advance Directives may only address certain situations such as organ/tissue donation, or when to resuscitate (if at all). It gives written notice to all health care providers on how to render services according to the patient’s choices. Encourage patients to regularly discuss their treatment choices with you, family members and their health care advocate.
Where to get more Information and find example forms for an Advance Directive under Indiana law:
Indiana Department of Health: The Indiana Department of Health’s website includes an Advance Directives Resource Center with information on Indiana law for Advance Directives and links to third- party websites (including the Indiana Patient Preferences Coalition noted below) containing example forms of Advance Directives:
https://www.in.gov/health/cshcr/indiana-health-care-quality-resource-center/advance-directives-resource-center/
Indiana Patient Preferences Coalition: A link to this website is also available on IDOH’s Advance Directive Resource Center website. It includes FAQS and other information on Advance Directives under Indiana law, as well as sample forms: https://www.indianapost.org/
MDwise Medicare Advance Directive member information.