Maryland Statutory Advance Health Directive
About this form
The Statutory Advance Health Directive is a legal document that allows individuals to outline their healthcare preferences in the event they cannot make decisions for themselves. This form is specifically designed for situations where life-sustaining procedures may only prolong the dying process. Unlike other health care forms, it not only enables you to express your wishes regarding medical procedures but also allows you to designate a health care agent to make decisions on your behalf. This ensures that your personal values and healthcare desires are respected when you are unable to communicate them.
Key components of this form
- Selection of health care agent: Choose an individual to make health care decisions for you.
- Preferences for treatments: Specify your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments for different medical situations.
- Anatomical gifts: Indicate if you wish to become an organ donor after your death.
- Signature and witness requirements: Includes provisions for signing in front of witnesses.
- Considerations for agents: Guide your agent on how to make decisions based on your values and preferences.
When this form is needed
This form is useful when you want to prepare for potential health care decisions in situations where you may become incapacitated. Consider using it when:
- You have a serious illness or medical condition.
- You are undergoing surgery or a significant medical procedure.
- You wish to ensure your healthcare preferences are known and respected.
- You want to relieve your family of decision-making burdens during a crisis.
Who can use this document
This form is intended for:
- Adults who want to make their healthcare choices known.
- Individuals planning for future healthcare needs.
- Anyone who wishes to appoint a trusted person as their health care agent.
How to prepare this document
- Begin by printing your name and date of birth at the top of the form.
- Select your primary health care agent and any backup agents if desired.
- Clearly outline your preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments in the designated sections.
- Sign the form in the presence of two witnesses to validate it.
- Distribute copies to your health care agent, doctor, and keep one for your records.
Does this form need to be notarized?
In most cases, this form does not require notarization. However, some jurisdictions or signing circumstances might. US Legal Forms offers online notarization powered by Notarize, accessible 24/7 for a quick, remote process.
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Make edits, fill in missing information, and update formatting in US Legal Forms—just like you would in MS Word.
Download a copy, print it, send it by email, or mail it via USPS—whatever works best for your next step.
Sign and collect signatures with our SignNow integration. Send to multiple recipients, set reminders, and more. Go Premium to unlock E-Sign.
If this form requires notarization, complete it online through a secure video call—no need to meet a notary in person or wait for an appointment.
We protect your documents and personal data by following strict security and privacy standards.
Typical mistakes to avoid
- Not discussing your wishes with your appointed health care agent, leading to confusion during a crisis.
- Failing to follow state-specific witness requirements, which can invalidate the form.
- Leaving critical sections blank, which may lead to misinterpretation of your wishes.
Benefits of using this form online
- Convenience: Easily access and fill out the form from your home.
- Editability: Make changes as your preferences or circumstances change.
- Instant availability: Have a legally compliant document ready when needed.
Legal use & context
- Your Advance Health Directive is legally binding in Maryland, provided it is properly completed and witnessed.
- This document ensures your health care preferences are respected and carried out when you are unable to communicate your wishes.
- It may be helpful to review your directive periodically and update it as necessary, especially after significant life changes.
Quick recap
- Advance directives establish your medical treatment preferences and appoint an agent.
- This form is essential for ensuring your wishes are respected in medical emergencies.
- Regular reviews of your directive are important to keep it current.
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FAQ
You can get the forms in a doctor's office, hospital, law office, state or local office for the aging, senior center, nursing home, or online. When you write your advance directive, think about the kinds of treatments that you do or don't want to receive if you get seriously hurt or ill.
The name and contact information of your healthcare agent/proxy. Answers to specific questions about your preferences for care if you become unable to speak for yourself. Names and signatures of individuals who witness your signing your advance directive, if required.
An advance directive, alone, may not be sufficient to stop all forms of life-saving treatment. You may also need specific do not resuscitate, or DNR orders.You retain the right to override the decisions or your representative, change the terms of your living will or POA, or completely revoke an advance directive.
An advance directive isn't the same as a DNR DNRs, like POLST forms, require a physician's sign-off and are medical orders, instructing emergency personnel to withhold resuscitation efforts. If you don't want to receive resuscitation, including that information in an advance care directive is not enough.
The living will. Durable power of attorney for health care/Medical power of attorney. POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders. Organ and tissue donation.
Is the Five Wishes advance directive a legal document? Yes. It was written with the help of the American Bar Association's Commission on Law & Aging. It meets the legal requirements of 44 states, but is used widely in all 50, and a federal law requires medical care providers to honor patient wishes as expressed.
An advance directive is a set of instructions someone prepares in advance of ill health that determines his healthcare wishes. A living will is one type of advance directive that becomes effective when a person is terminally ill.
Advance directives generally fall into three categories: living will, power of attorney, and health care proxy.
As long as you can still make your own decisions, your advance directive won't be used. You can change or cancel it at any time. Your health care agent will only make choices for you if you can't or don't want to decide for yourself.
