Advance Healthcare Directive Template

What Is the Advance Healthcare Directive?

An Advance Healthcare Directive is your written instructions about medical treatment preferences for situations where you cannot communicate decisions. It addresses life-sustaining treatment, artificial nutrition and hydration, pain management priorities, organ donation wishes, and the personal values that should guide your care when cure is no longer possible.

This healthcare directive covers terminal conditions, permanent unconsciousness, advanced dementia, and specific interventions like CPR, ventilators, and dialysis. You make the hard decisions now, in writing, so your family doesn't have to guess what you'd want during the worst moments of their lives.

 

Is This Advance Healthcare Directive Right for You?

You need this agreement if you're:

• Anyone who wants control over end-of-life medical decisions
• Patients with terminal diagnoses or chronic progressive conditions
• Elderly individuals planning comprehensive estate documents
• People with strong religious or philosophical values about medical care
• Anyone facing surgery or high-risk medical procedures
• Adults with family histories of dementia or neurological conditions

You definitely need this agreement if:

• You're on life support and family fights over whether to continue
• You're in a coma and doctors won't follow verbal wishes
• You have advanced dementia and family disagrees about treatment level
• You're terminal and receive unwanted aggressive interventions causing suffering
• You're permanently unconscious and left on feeding tubes indefinitely

 

 

Why Thousands Trust Legal GPS Templates

Save Money. Attorneys charge $250-700 for advance directives. This template costs $35.

Save Time. Complete your living will in under 90 minutes instead of scheduling appointments and waiting weeks.

Look Professional. Medical providers recognize comprehensive provisions and proper legal formatting as serious healthcare directives.

Keeps You Out of Court. Our template's Terminal Condition Instructions, Permanent Unconsciousness provisions, and Personal Values section prevent family court battles over treatment decisions.

 

 

Get Protected in 3 Simple Steps

Step 1: Secure Checkout

Complete your purchase through our encrypted payment system. Instant access to your template.

Step 2: Instant Download

Receive your Advance Healthcare Directive immediately as an editable document. No waiting, no shipping.

Step 3: Fill In the Highlighted Fields

Follow the bracketed guidance to document your treatment preferences. Print, sign with witnesses and notary, then distribute copies to your physician and family.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this template multiple times?

Yes. After purchase, you can use this Advance Healthcare Directive as many times as needed. Update it when your health situation changes, revise preferences as your values evolve, or create new versions as medical technology advances.

Is this contract legally binding?

Yes, when properly executed with required witnesses and notarization. This template complies with advance directive laws across all U.S. states. Healthcare providers are legally obligated to honor your documented treatment preferences or transfer your care to providers who will.

What's the difference between an Advance Healthcare Directive and a Medical Power of Attorney?

An Advance Healthcare Directive documents your treatment preferences directly. A Medical Power of Attorney names someone to make decisions for you. Best practice is completing both—the directive tells your agent what you want, and the power of attorney gives them authority to enforce it.

Can I change my mind after signing this directive?

Yes. You can revoke or modify this directive at any time by executing a new version, destroying the original, or verbally communicating your intent to revoke to healthcare providers. Always notify your physician and family immediately when making changes.

What if my doctor disagrees with my directive?

The Physician and Provider Obligations clause addresses this. If following your directive violates a provider's conscience or professional judgment, they must transfer your care to another provider who will honor your wishes. They cannot simply ignore your documented preferences.

Do I need both an Advance Healthcare Directive and a Do Not Resuscitate order?

They serve different purposes. Your Advance Healthcare Directive provides comprehensive treatment preferences for various scenarios. A DNR order is a specific medical order recognized by emergency personnel. If you've chosen "Do Not Resuscitate" in your directive, discuss a formal DNR order with your physician.