For patients
For physicians
Additional resources
For patients
Patients have a right to take an active role in their own health care. Unfortunately, there are times, such as sudden illness or an accident, when this is not possible.
Advance care planning affords patients the opportunity to exercise their right to make determinations regarding their medical care in advance in the event they become incapable of active participation in health care decisions. The process provides individuals with the opportunity to determine their goals regarding health and medical treatment based on personal values, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding health care, illness, and death. It also enables individuals to communicate their wishes to their primary care physician, their proxy, and loved ones. As a result of this process, if a patient becomes incapacitated, parties involved in the patient's care should have a common understanding of the patient's health care wishes and what the patient would have wanted.
More resources for patients
State-specific advance directives can be downloaded on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Web site. The NHPCO provides examples of advance directives —living wills and power of health care attorney appointment forms — for each state (and the District of Columbia) on the Web.
The NHPCO site contains important disclaimers that you should read carefully. In calling the NHPCO site to your attention, the AMA also urges that you consider consulting with your counsel and/or personal physician.
JAMA Patient Page - Decisions
about end of life care (PDF, 163KB, requires Adobe®
Reader®)
JAMA Patient Page - Advance
directives for end-of-life medical decisions (PDF, 190KB)
Advance care planning: Guidance for patients
For physicians
Physicians can play an important role in initiating and guiding the advance care planning process by making it a routine part of care for all patients, which is revisited regularly to explore any changes a patient may have in his or her wishes. This process ultimately can benefit patients; it can provide them with a sense of control and peace of mind with regard to their future health care. It is also advisable for physicians to do their own advance care planning.
It is important to support advance care planning decisions with formal documents, such as an advance directive. An advance directive might include a living will, through which a person indicates whether specific medical interventions would be desired, or a durable power of attorney for health care, whereby a patient designates a specific person to act as their agent for health care decisions in the event the patient is incapable of making such decisions.
More resources for physicians
What is advance care planning? An introduction for physicians
Institute of Medicine Report: Describing Death in America
Additional resources
Aging With Dignity
AMA policies on end-of-life care
Advance Care Planning: A Practical Guide for Physicians
American Bar Association: Health Care Advance Directives
Content provided by: Ethics Resource Center