What to do with your Medical Directive?
You have put your directions regarding your medical treatment and care in writing and named agents to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot communicate with your health care providers. Now what?
VIRGINIA
In Virginia, you can register your advance directive with the Virginia Advance Health Care Directive Registry. As a resident of the Commonwealth you can use the confidential, no-cost storage for your Medical Directive, Durable Do Not Resuscitate order from your physician, your Power of Attorney, and some other documents.
This online storage is accessible only by a physician treating you, a hospital, or emergency care providers. However, you are able to set up your registry and give permission to the medical agent(s) you identified to make your medical decisions, your family, other loved ones, or friends to view your registered documents.
MARYLAND and DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
At this time, neither Maryland nor the District of Columbia offer residents registration of medical directives.
EVERYONE
The good news is there is an app where you can store your medical directive and medical information no matter where you live. Your agent, loved ones, and caregivers can also use the app so your information is as close as their ever-present smart phones. The bad news is that this is not free, but with sponsorship from the American Bar Association, the annual subscription for this mobile app is $4.99.
Users can create a customized profile for each family member or loved one. Documents are stored on the user’s phone, can be backed up online, and are easily accessible by the user. The documents can then be emailed, faxed, or printed.
For more information on this app, see http://mindyour-lovedones.com
Once you have executed your medical directive and gathered your medical information, take the next step to make those documents available to your agent and those who you want to have access to them.
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