Advance Medical Directives

There are several types of advance medical directives, each addressing a specific medical situation.

Declaration under Florida Life Prolonging Procedures - commonly referred to as a Living Will:

A Living Will specifies what kind of life extending treatments you want should you be faced with a terminal illness condition, an end-state condition or are in a persistent vegetative state. By stating your wishes in writing, a Living Will can take the burden off your loved ones when dealing with end of life decisions.

A Living Will must comply with Florida Statutes Section 765.03 and must be properly executed and witnessed. Also, once you execute your Living Will, a copy should be provided to your primary care physician, as well as, being easily accessed by loved ones in case of an emergency.

Health Care Surrogate:

A Health Care Surrogate designates another person or persons to make medical decisions for you in the event you are unable to communicate to the health care providers. The Health Care Surrogate should also contain a release granting your agent the right to receive your confidential medical information, otherwise this information is privileged pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA").