Healthcare directive
Lake Region Healthcare and several other community partners have collaborated to provide simple and consistent healthcare directive guidelines for our community. We encourage everyone of every age to become aware of the benefits of the healthcare directive conversation with their loved ones.
What is a healthcare directive?
A healthcare directive (sometimes called an advance directive) is a legal document that goes into effect only if you are unable to communicate your healthcare wishes due to illness or injury. A healthcare directive allows you to select a decision maker—called a healthcare agent—who will make decisions regarding your care and informs others about your wishes for medical treatment.
Sometimes, end-of-life decisions need to be made about emergency treatments to keep you alive. A healthcare directive gives you the opportunity to state which of these types of emergency treatments you would or would not want performed to keep you alive, and the conditions under which your choices apply. It also allows you to state your wishes regarding other treatment options.
Getting started
It is really quite simple to fill out a healthcare directive. It is not necessary to have an attorney provide or fill out the form. Your written statement can serve as a healthcare directive as long as it meets certain legal requirements.
If you'd like to use the form that Lake Region Healthcare and surrounding medical communities have adopted as a guide, you can download the form here: Healthcare Directive Form
Other resources
If you'd like to learn more, we recommend these additional resources about healthcare directives from Honoring Choices Minnesota.