Advance Directives & Care Planning

Advance care planning is important for every adult. Make sure your values and wishes for your medical care are respected and followed, if you're unable to express them.

Take time to document your decisions now and help prevent unnecessary stress on your loved ones if you are seriously ill or injured.

Advance Directive

An advance directive is a legal document that expresses your health care wishes and identifies a person to temporarily act on your behalf while you are unable to direct your own health care. When you regain capacity, you resume making your own health care decisions. An advance directive should be reviewed regularly and updated as your life and wishes change.

Each state sets up its own types of advance directives and the rules about how to use them. A lawyer can write an advance directive for you. Or visit the PREPARE™ for Your Care website to learn about medical decision making, how to discuss your wishes with your loved ones and medical providers, and fill out an online advance directive form.

Separate, downloadable advance directive forms are also available to download and print:

• California: English | Spanish
• Nevada: English | Spanish

Advance directive documents can be uploaded into your MyChart Account and shared with your care team.

Patient Self-Determination Act

By law, all patients admitted to the hospital must be asked about the presence of an advance directive.

If you do not have an advance directive, information will be provided to you. Hospital staff and practitioners will comply with the directive, which will be placed on your medical record.