Estate planning is essential to protecting your assets, but you also need other legal documents to protect you in certain situations. For instance, an advance healthcare directive establishes the type of medical care you wish to receive should a terminal illness occur. On the other hand, a power of attorney imbues another person with the authority to act as your representative in medical and financial matters.
Creating these documents is just the first step to protecting yourself. You must also ensure they’re fully accessible, as you never know when you might need them. In addition to providing copies of documents to family members and medical staff, you must also keep them on your person at all times.
What Can Happen If You Don’t Have Essential Documents?
In the event you don’t have a copy of an advance healthcare directive and are involved in a serious accident, doctors and other staff will be unaware of your wishes. These documents contain information on medical treatments, including life-preserving measures like CPR or mechanical ventilation.
If you prefer not to have these treatments, your medical team must know, or they’ll administer them anyway. And even if your family members are present, they may be unaware of your directives or unwilling to carry them out. That leaves you without an advocate during an essential time.
How Can You Ensure You Have Access to These Items?
Electronic storage is the best method for storing important information regarding your health and wellness. With a free medical records app, you can keep important documents and medical records in a central hub, which is accessible with your mobile device.
Additionally, you can share this information with others, including your loved ones. If there are questions about what type of medical care you wish to receive, your family and medical team will have instant access to your specific directives.
