Comprehensive Guide to Healthcare Power of Attorney in Eagleton Village
A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows one person to appoint another to make medical decisions if they are unable to do so themselves. For residents of Eagleton Village and nearby areas in Blount County, establishing a clear and legally sound Healthcare Power of Attorney can provide families with direction and reduce confusion during stressful medical situations. This guide explains what a Healthcare Power of Attorney does, who can be appointed, and how the document interacts with other advance directives. Clear planning ensures your wishes are known and that a trusted person can act on your behalf when medical decisions arise.
When you create a Healthcare Power of Attorney, you take practical steps to protect your medical preferences and relieve loved ones of decision-making uncertainty. This document complements other personal planning tools and helps coordinate care with physicians and medical facilities. In Eagleton Village, local laws and hospital policies can affect how these documents are interpreted, so having paperwork that is current and accurately reflects your intentions matters. Establishing a Healthcare Power of Attorney is an act of care for yourself and your family, providing peace of mind that someone you trust will speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself.
Why a Healthcare Power of Attorney Matters for You and Your Family
A properly executed Healthcare Power of Attorney clarifies who will make medical decisions and under what circumstances, which can prevent family disputes and delays in treatment. It helps ensure that your values and treatment preferences are followed if you become incapacitated due to illness, injury, or sudden medical events. This document can expedite consent for treatments, provide a clear point of communication for medical teams, and reduce the emotional burden on family members faced with urgent choices. Having this plan in place supports continuity of care and enhances confidence that medical decisions will reflect your wishes.
About Jay Johnson Law Firm and Our Approach to Healthcare Decision Planning
Jay Johnson Law Firm serves clients across Tennessee, including Eagleton Village and Blount County, with practical legal guidance on estate planning and probate matters. Our approach focuses on clear communication, careful document preparation, and thoughtful coordination with clients’ families and health providers. We prioritize understanding each person’s values and medical preferences so documents reflect real intentions. With a focus on thorough planning, we help clients create Healthcare Powers of Attorney that are tailored to individual needs and that work alongside other estate planning documents to form a cohesive plan for personal and medical decision making.
A Healthcare Power of Attorney grants a designated agent the authority to make medical decisions when an individual cannot participate in decision making. The scope of authority can be broad or limited to specific circumstances, and it may include decisions about treatments, life-sustaining care, hospitalization, and communication with medical providers. It is important to clearly state any preferences or limitations within the document to guide the chosen agent. The document can be activated by medical determination of incapacity or other triggering conditions described in the form, and it should be kept accessible to family members and healthcare providers.
Creating a Healthcare Power of Attorney also involves choosing a reliable and willing agent, discussing values and treatment preferences in advance, and ensuring the document meets Tennessee legal requirements. While some states use specific statutory forms, the key is to record your wishes clearly and ensure that the agent understands when and how to act. Regular review and updates are recommended, especially after major life events such as marriage, divorce, illness, or changes in your relationship with the chosen agent. Communicating the document’s existence and location avoids confusion when decisions are needed.
Defining a Healthcare Power of Attorney and Its Role
A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal instrument that designates someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you cannot do so. It operates separately from financial powers of attorney and focuses specifically on medical choices and communication with medical professionals. The agent’s responsibilities include interpreting your stated medical preferences, consenting to or refusing treatments where appropriate, and acting as a liaison with care teams. Properly drafted, the document outlines the scope of decision-making authority and any limitations, ensuring your voice is represented when you are unable to participate in discussions about your care.
Key Components and Steps for Creating a Healthcare Power of Attorney
Important elements include naming an agent, describing the circumstances that trigger the agent’s authority, specifying any treatment preferences or limitations, and ensuring signatures and witness requirements meet state law. The process begins with discussion of goals and preferences, selection of an agent, drafting the document to reflect those preferences, and formal execution according to Tennessee rules. After signing, copies should be shared with the agent, family members, primary care providers, and any relevant medical facilities. Periodic review keeps the document aligned with changing health circumstances or personal wishes.
Key Terms and Glossary for Healthcare Power of Attorney
Understanding common terms helps you make informed choices when preparing a Healthcare Power of Attorney. This section defines words you will encounter during planning and helps clarify the roles and processes involved. Knowing these definitions allows you to set clear boundaries for your agent, align documents with your healthcare goals, and communicate more effectively with medical providers. Clear terminology reduces ambiguity when the document is used and supports consistent application of your preferences in medical settings.
Agent
An agent is the person you appoint to make healthcare decisions on your behalf under a Healthcare Power of Attorney. The agent acts when you are unable to make decisions and is expected to follow your stated preferences and values. Selecting an agent involves trust and a clear discussion about your medical priorities. The agent’s responsibilities may include consenting to or refusing treatments, accessing medical information, and communicating with healthcare providers and family members. It is helpful to name alternate agents in case the primary agent cannot serve when needed.
Advance Directive
An advance directive is a general term that describes legal documents used to outline a person’s medical preferences and decision-making instructions for future care. A Healthcare Power of Attorney is one type of advance directive focused on appointing an agent, while other forms may include living wills or specific treatment preferences. Together, these documents help ensure medical teams and family members understand a person’s wishes. Advance directives should be kept up to date and shared with relevant parties so they can be consulted when medical decisions arise.
Capacity
Capacity refers to the legal and medical determination that a person can understand information about their medical condition and make informed decisions. When capacity is present, the individual retains the right to make their own healthcare choices. If capacity is impaired due to illness, injury, or cognitive decline, the Healthcare Power of Attorney may take effect to allow the designated agent to act. Determinations of capacity are made by medical professionals based on established standards and may be documented in the medical record when the agent assumes decision-making authority.
Living Will
A living will is a document that records a person’s specific wishes about treatment preferences in scenarios where they cannot communicate those choices. It often addresses life-sustaining measures, resuscitation, and other end-of-life interventions. While distinct from a Healthcare Power of Attorney, a living will can complement it by providing detailed instructions the appointed agent and clinicians should follow. Including both documents in your planning provides clearer guidance and reduces uncertainty when care decisions arise, ensuring your values are considered alongside practical decision-making authority.
Comparing Legal Options: Limited Directives Versus Broader Healthcare Powers
Choosing between a narrowly tailored directive and a more comprehensive Healthcare Power of Attorney depends on personal preferences and circumstances. Limited directives focus on specific issues or treatments, which can provide precise instructions but may leave gaps for situations not anticipated. A broader Healthcare Power of Attorney grants an agent flexibility to respond to unforeseen circumstances while still following your stated values. Discussing the potential scenarios you might face and how much discretion you want your agent to have will help determine the right balance between specificity and adaptability in your planning.
When a Targeted Directive May Be Appropriate:
Clear, Narrow Treatment Preferences
A limited approach can work well if you have very specific medical preferences that apply to foreseeable circumstances, such as refusing certain life-sustaining treatments or specifying preferences about blood transfusions or other defined interventions. When instructions are straightforward and unlikely to require interpretation, a narrowly focused directive can give clear guidance to providers and reduce ambiguity for those who may act on your behalf. That approach depends on anticipating the most relevant situations and documenting them clearly to avoid confusion later on.
Strongly Held Single-Issue Preferences
If you feel strongly about one particular medical decision and want it explicitly documented, a limited directive centered on that issue may provide the clarity you need. This is often appropriate for individuals with specific religious, cultural, or personal beliefs that dictate certain treatments. By focusing on a single issue, the document communicates a firm position on that matter while leaving other decisions to a trusted person or default medical judgment. Ensuring the form is clear and accessible to healthcare providers is essential for it to function as intended.
Why a Broader Healthcare Power of Attorney May Be Preferable:
Unpredictable Medical Circumstances
Medical situations can evolve in unexpected ways, and a broader Healthcare Power of Attorney allows a trusted agent to make timely decisions in scenarios not specifically anticipated in narrow directives. This flexibility can be valuable when new treatments arise, when a situation changes rapidly, or when the medical team needs someone who can weigh options and communicate with family members. A comprehensive approach combines clear guidance with adaptability, helping ensure decisions remain consistent with your overall values while addressing practical realities as they occur.
Coordination Across Multiple Settings
When care spans hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and outpatient settings, a broader Healthcare Power of Attorney provides continuity by empowering an agent to act across different providers and settings. This ensures a single designated person can gather information, consent to necessary treatments, and maintain consistent communication with care teams. A comprehensive document reduces the need to navigate multiple forms or permissions and helps prevent delays in care that can occur when responsibility is unclear or divided among family members and providers.
Benefits of a Comprehensive Healthcare Power of Attorney
A comprehensive Healthcare Power of Attorney offers peace of mind by naming a clear decision-maker and providing them with the authority needed to act in varied situations. This can speed up decision making during emergencies and reduce family conflict by clarifying roles and responsibilities upfront. The document can also provide instructions about how decisions should be made, incorporating personal values and preferences to guide the agent. Overall, this approach supports consistent care that aligns with your wishes across different healthcare encounters and life changes.
Comprehensive planning enables better coordination with medical providers by ensuring there is a designated point of contact for decisions and information. That clarity helps reduce delays and miscommunications that may interfere with care. It also allows the designated agent to make timely choices about discharge planning, rehabilitation, or home care arrangements. When the agent is prepared and documents are accessible, transitions between care settings become smoother, which benefits both the patient and their family during difficult medical episodes.
Clarity and Faster Decision-Making
Naming a decision-maker and outlining guidance reduces hesitation and conflict when immediate choices are necessary. Medical teams can proceed more confidently when they know who is authorized to consent and that the agent has clear instructions. Rapid decisions can be essential to effective treatment and can prevent prolonged uncertainty for both clinicians and loved ones. This clarity also reduces the emotional burden on family members who might otherwise be left to guess what the patient would prefer under stressful conditions.
Preservation of Personal Values in Medical Choices
A comprehensive document allows you to record overarching principles and values that should guide medical decisions, helping an agent make choices consistent with your beliefs. By specifying priorities such as comfort, independence, or avoidance of certain interventions, you give practical direction for real-world medical judgments. This helps ensure that even when faced with complex options, decision-makers have a framework that reflects your personal priorities and that care aligns with what matters most to you.
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Practical Tips for Creating Your Healthcare Power of Attorney
Choose the Right Agent
Select someone who knows your values, communicates well with family members, and is willing to act when needed. It is helpful to discuss scenarios and preferences in advance so the person understands how you want decisions made. Consider naming alternates in case the primary appointee is unavailable. Make sure the agent can access important healthcare information and can be reached quickly if immediate decisions are required. Clear communication before a medical event helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures the agent will be prepared to follow your preferences.
Document Specific Preferences
Review and Update Regularly
Review your Healthcare Power of Attorney periodically and after major life events like marriage, divorce, new diagnoses, or changes in relationships. Regular updates ensure the document continues to reflect your current wishes and the person named remains appropriate and available. Reconfirm that the agent is willing to serve and understands your current priorities. If you move to another state or if state laws change, consider reviewing the document to ensure it complies with local requirements and will be recognized by medical facilities in your area.
Reasons to Consider a Healthcare Power of Attorney in Eagleton Village
Having a Healthcare Power of Attorney helps protect your ability to direct medical care by naming a person to act on your behalf if you cannot speak. This can avoid delays in treatment and reduce conflict among family members about who should decide. For older adults, those with progressive illness, or anyone who values specific decision-making priorities, this document provides a clear, legally recognized pathway for carrying out your preferences. Preparing ahead ensures that your values guide future care and that a trusted person can advocate effectively for you.
In the absence of a designated decision-maker, hospitals and courts may need to identify who can authorize care, which can lead to delays and extra stress for loved ones. A Healthcare Power of Attorney gives your chosen agent authority that is recognized by medical providers and helps preserve continuity of care. It also facilitates communication with clinicians and supports planning for potential transitions between acute hospital care, rehabilitation, and home-based services. Taking this step now can simplify difficult situations and protect your preferences when they matter most.
Common Situations Where a Healthcare Power of Attorney Is Needed
Situations that commonly require a Healthcare Power of Attorney include sudden accidents that leave a person unconscious, progressive illnesses that impair decision-making ability, major surgeries with anesthesia risks, and cognitive decline related to conditions like dementia. In each case, having a designated agent reduces delays and helps ensure decisions reflect your wishes. It also prevents uncertainty about who should authorize treatments and supports coordinated communication with medical teams. Advance planning addresses a wide range of foreseeable and unforeseen medical events.
Sudden Medical Emergencies
A sudden medical emergency can render someone unable to communicate preferences, and rapid decisions about diagnostics and treatments may be required. With a Healthcare Power of Attorney in place, the appointed agent can consent to or decline interventions consistent with the person’s known wishes, helping medical teams act without delay. This reduces the likelihood of conflicting opinions among family members and supports timely care. Ensuring providers have access to the document and the agent’s contact information improves the speed and effectiveness of medical decision-making in urgent scenarios.
Serious or Progressive Illness
When facing a serious or progressive illness, planning ahead allows for consistent decisions as conditions change. A Healthcare Power of Attorney empowers a trusted person to make choices about treatments, palliative care, and transitions to other care settings based on your stated priorities. This arrangement helps avoid repeated decision-making crises and ensures one designated individual maintains a coherent approach to care in line with your values. Communicating preferences early helps the agent act deliberately and with confidence as medical needs evolve.
Cognitive Decline and Long-Term Care Planning
Cognitive decline from dementia or other conditions gradually impairs the ability to make informed choices, making advance designation of an agent especially important. A Healthcare Power of Attorney allows someone you trust to step in and ensure that care decisions remain respectful of your wishes, including decisions about long-term care arrangements and comfort-focused treatment. Early planning also helps families prepare for transitions and reduces the need for court involvement or guardianship processes that can be time-consuming and emotionally difficult.
Eagleton Village Healthcare Power of Attorney Services
Jay Johnson Law Firm provides practical support to residents of Eagleton Village who need to prepare or update Healthcare Powers of Attorney. We assist clients in naming appropriate agents, documenting treatment preferences, and ensuring forms meet Tennessee requirements. Our role includes reviewing existing documents, suggesting updates after life changes, and helping communicate plans to medical providers. We aim to make the process straightforward and accessible so that clients have confidence their medical decision-making wishes are documented and that a trusted person can act when needed.
Why Choose Jay Johnson Law Firm for Healthcare Decision Planning
Jay Johnson Law Firm focuses on practical estate planning services that include Healthcare Powers of Attorney and related advance directives for residents of Eagleton Village and surrounding Tennessee communities. We emphasize clear communication, accurate document preparation, and helping clients understand how their choices function in real medical situations. Our goal is to produce documents that are easy to use by agents and healthcare providers and that reflect each client’s personal preferences and values for medical care.
Working with a local firm helps ensure your Healthcare Power of Attorney aligns with Tennessee legal requirements and hospital procedures common in the area. We assist with choosing appropriate language, naming alternates, and advising on how to share documents with family and medical teams. Our services include reviewing existing paperwork, suggesting updates after life changes, and providing guidance about how best to implement your decisions when medical situations arise, reducing uncertainty for your loved ones and medical professionals.
We also help clients integrate healthcare decision documents into a broader estate plan so that medical directives and financial powers work together. This coordinated approach supports smoother transitions during care episodes and clarifies responsibilities for those involved. By preparing clear, accessible documents and facilitating conversations with chosen agents, we help families reduce stress and ensure that medical decisions reflect the individual’s priorities and intentions even when they cannot speak for themselves.
Ready to Plan Your Healthcare Power of Attorney? Contact Jay Johnson Law Firm
How We Handle Healthcare Power of Attorney Matters
Our process begins with a conversation about your medical values, goals for treatment, and suitable agents to represent those preferences. We then draft a Healthcare Power of Attorney tailored to your needs, review the document with you to ensure clarity, and arrange execution according to Tennessee formalities. After signing, we provide guidance on distribution of copies to healthcare providers and loved ones and discuss steps to maintain and update the document when circumstances change. The goal is to create a practical, usable directive that supports your care decisions.
Step One: Initial Consultation and Planning
During the initial consultation, we discuss your health care priorities, possible scenarios to plan for, and who you trust to act as your agent. We explore preferences about life-sustaining treatment, comfort measures, and values that should guide decision making. This conversation helps shape the content of the Healthcare Power of Attorney and any complementary documents. The discussion also identifies any special concerns about hospital policies or unique medical circumstances, ensuring the final document addresses the issues most important to you and your family.
Discussing Values and Treatment Preferences
We focus on understanding what matters most to you in medical care, including priorities like maintaining independence, prioritizing comfort, or avoiding certain interventions. By recording these values, the appointed agent and medical teams have practical guidance for making decisions aligned with your wishes. This dialogue reduces ambiguity and prepares both you and your agent for the types of choices that may arise. Clear communication now decreases the chance of disagreement among family members later.
Selecting and Preparing Your Agent
We help you choose an appropriate agent and discuss naming alternates if the primary appointee is unavailable. We also recommend conversations to ensure your chosen person understands your choices and is prepared to act. Preparing an agent includes discussing contact procedures, how to access medical information, and what documentation will be needed if they must make decisions. This preparation helps ensure a smooth transition when decision-making authority is required.
Step Two: Drafting and Execution
After planning, we draft a Healthcare Power of Attorney tailored to your preferences and aligned with Tennessee legal requirements. We review the draft with you to confirm clarity and make revisions as needed. Execution typically involves signing in the presence of required witnesses or a notary, depending on state rules. We provide instructions on storing and distributing copies to ensure the document will be available to medical providers and your agent when needed, reducing hurdles at critical moments.
Preparing the Document Language
We craft language that balances clear instructions with flexibility for an agent to address unforeseen circumstances. The wording explains when authority is triggered and outlines any limits or specific treatment preferences. Clear, practical language helps prevent misinterpretation by medical staff and ensures your agent can act confidently. We tailor the document to your situation and review it thoroughly to make sure it communicates your intentions effectively.
Formal Signing and Distribution
We guide you through the formal signing process so the document will be valid when needed. This includes meeting witness or notarization requirements and creating copies for the agent, family members, and primary care providers. We also discuss how to present the document to hospitals or clinics and recommend steps to ensure it becomes part of your medical record when appropriate. Proper distribution reduces delays in recognition of the agent’s authority.
Step Three: Ongoing Review and Updates
Planning is not a one-time event; we recommend reviewing your Healthcare Power of Attorney periodically and after major life changes. Updates may be needed following changes in relationships, health status, or relocation. Keeping documents current and re-sharing them with your agent and medical providers helps maintain their effectiveness. We provide follow-up reviews and make revisions as necessary to ensure the document remains aligned with your values and functions as intended in changing circumstances.
When to Revisit Your Documents
You should revisit documents after events like marriage, divorce, death of a named agent, new medical diagnoses, or relocation to another state. These changes can affect who should serve as agent and whether the existing language still reflects your wishes. Regular reviews ensure that documents accurately represent your current intentions and are valid under applicable state rules. We can assist with updates to maintain continuity and clarity for your chosen agent and healthcare providers.
Maintaining Accessibility and Communication
Ensure your agent, family, and medical providers know where to find the Healthcare Power of Attorney and have copies when needed. Consider keeping a copy in your medical records, sharing digital copies with trusted contacts, and providing the agent with the original or a certified copy if institutions require it. Clear ongoing communication with your designated agent about your health and preferences improves the likelihood that decisions will reflect your values when medical situations arise.
Healthcare Power of Attorney — Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Healthcare Power of Attorney and why do I need one?
A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal document that names an agent to make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. It safeguards your ability to have someone speak for you regarding treatments, hospitalization, and other healthcare matters, reducing uncertainty for family and medical teams. Having this document in place helps ensure that your preferences are known and that a trusted individual can act when immediate decisions are required.This document is important because it provides a recognized legal avenue for decision making and can prevent delays caused by disputes or court involvement. It complements other planning tools like living wills and should be discussed with your chosen agent and healthcare providers so it can be implemented smoothly when necessary.
How do I choose the right person to serve as my healthcare agent?
Choose someone who understands your values, communicates well, and is willing to take on the responsibility of speaking for you. The right person should be reachable during emergencies and able to coordinate with medical providers and family members. Discuss your wishes openly so they know how you prefer decisions to be made and any specific treatments you want to accept or decline.Consider naming alternates in case the primary appointee is unavailable. Also evaluate whether the person can handle potential emotional stress and logistical tasks, and confirm they are willing to serve. Clear communication before an emergency reduces confusion and ensures the agent can act confidently on your behalf.
What authority does my agent have under a Healthcare Power of Attorney?
An agent’s authority generally includes consenting to or refusing medical treatment, accessing medical records, and communicating with care teams when you cannot make decisions. The scope of authority can be broad or limited, depending on the language you choose. It is important to clearly describe any limits or specific instructions within the document to guide the agent’s choices.Healthcare providers typically rely on the document to identify who can legally authorize care. The agent should act in accordance with your known wishes and values. If a situation falls outside the document’s specifics, the agent uses the guidance you provided to make decisions that best reflect your preferences.
Can I limit the agent’s authority or include specific treatment preferences?
Yes, you can limit an agent’s authority and include detailed treatment preferences within the Healthcare Power of Attorney. Specific instructions about life-sustaining measures, comfort care, or other interventions can be included to guide decision making. Clear, precise language helps reduce ambiguity and ensures your intentions are followed.However, overly narrow language can leave gaps in unexpected situations, so striking a balance between specificity and practical flexibility is often recommended. Discussing possible scenarios with legal counsel and your agent helps craft language that reflects your wishes while allowing necessary discretion when unforeseen medical issues arise.
How do I ensure medical providers will follow the document?
To encourage medical providers to follow your Healthcare Power of Attorney, ensure the document complies with Tennessee requirements and is properly executed with any required signatures or witnesses. Provide copies to your primary care physician, specialists, and the hospitals you may use so it can become part of your medical record. Making the document accessible and known to providers increases the likelihood it will be recognized and followed.Also share copies with your designated agent and family members and discuss your preferences in advance. If a facility has specific forms, present your document early and ask how to incorporate it into their processes so that your agent’s authority is recognized when decisions are needed.
When should I review or update my Healthcare Power of Attorney?
Review your Healthcare Power of Attorney after major life events such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a named agent, significant changes in health, or relocation to another state. Any change in your relationships or health may affect who should act as your agent and whether the document language still reflects your wishes. Regular reviews help keep your documents current and effective.A periodic review every few years is a practical approach even without major life events, ensuring that the designated agent remains willing to serve and the document complies with current state practices. Updating documents promptly avoids confusion if the named agent is no longer available or circumstances have changed.
What happens if I do not have a Healthcare Power of Attorney?
Without a Healthcare Power of Attorney, hospitals and medical teams must rely on the patient’s immediate ability to decide or on default decision-making processes, which may involve family members acting without clear legal authority. In some cases, courts or guardianship proceedings become necessary to appoint someone to make decisions, which can be time-consuming, costly, and stressful for loved ones.Having a designated agent avoids many of these complications by providing a clear person to consult and a legal basis for decisions. This can speed medical decision making and reduce conflict, helping ensure that care aligns with the patient’s values when they are unable to speak for themselves.
Can I name multiple agents or alternates?
You can name multiple agents or alternates in a Healthcare Power of Attorney, and many people choose one primary appointee plus one or two successors. Naming alternates ensures someone is available if the primary agent cannot serve, and it provides continuity in decision making. Be sure to specify whether agents must act jointly or whether successors step in only if the primary is unavailable.Clarify in the document how multiple agents should operate to avoid disagreement or delays when timely decisions are required. Clear instructions about succession and decision-making procedures reduce potential conflict and make it easier for medical teams to determine whom to contact.
How does a Healthcare Power of Attorney differ from a living will?
A Healthcare Power of Attorney appoints a person to make healthcare decisions on your behalf, whereas a living will records specific instructions about treatments you would or would not want in certain end-of-life scenarios. Both are types of advance directives and can be used together to guide care. The agent appointed in the Healthcare Power of Attorney should follow the instructions in a living will if both documents are in place.Using both documents provides a balance of named decision-making authority and explicit treatment preferences. This combination helps ensure that the agent has direction while still being empowered to address situations that a living will does not explicitly cover.
How do I get started with creating a Healthcare Power of Attorney in Eagleton Village?
To start, gather your thoughts about who you trust to make medical decisions and what treatment preferences you want documented. Contact a local estate planning attorney or law firm familiar with Tennessee advance directive practices to discuss your goals and draft a Healthcare Power of Attorney. Bring information about your health, primary care physician, and any hospitals you frequent so the document can be tailored to typical care settings.Once drafted, sign the document with any required witnesses or a notary, provide copies to your agent and healthcare providers, and store the original where it can be accessed if needed. Regularly review the document and re-share it after major life events or changes in your health to keep it current and effective.