April 16, 2010 has been designated National Health Care Decisions Day. 

The Vermont Ethics Network and (YOUR ORGANIZATION NAME) wants to help raise awareness about the importance of health care planning, and encourage all Vermonters to develop their own Advance Directive for Health Care. It is important that all adults with decision-making capacity have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their health care preferences. 

Vermont’s Advance Directive for Health Care is a written document to guide your medical care in the event that you cannot speak for yourself. It combines elements of two previous forms ( the Living Will and the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care). It allows a person to appoint someone as their “agent” to speak for them should they lose their capacity to speak for themselves. Because it expresses your values, wishes and preference for care and treatment, it provides the best possible guidance to your health care provider(s), family and friends.

Every individual should take an active role in their own health care planning and decision-making, in advance of a catastrophic occurrence, and at a time when they can make calm and rational decisions. Talk to your family, friends and trusted advisors (physicians, attorneys, etc) about your future health care wishes. Complete your own Advance Directive. Then, encourage your family, friends, coworkers and employees to do the same. Changes to your Advance Directive may be made at any time by completing a new form and destroying all previous copies.

Vermonters may register their Advance Directive, free of charge, at the Vermont Advance Directive Registry. It will be scanned into an electronic database, and will be immediately available to those who need it in the event of a medical crisis or emergency.

For more information about the Vermont Advance Health Care Directives and the Vermont Advance Directive Registry, contact the Vermont Ethics Network at (802) 828-2909, or go to www.vtethicsnetwork.org, or www.healthvermont.gov/vadr.

61 Elm Street  •  Montpelier, VT  05602  •  (802)828-2909• ww.vtethicsnetwork.org