Advance Directives

Patient Documents

Advance directives are documents to direct medical care when patients are unable to communicate their own wishes due to a medical condition. In Ohio, do not resuscitate orders, living wills, organ donation, and durable powers of attorney are advance directives that are authorized by state law.

With these documents, a patient states his/her wishes regarding medical treatment choices, including naming someone to make these types of decisions should the patient become unable to do so. Advance Directives are used to ensure that a patient's preferences regarding medical care are followed.

The Ohio Hospital Association has prepared more information to help patients make these important decisions.

LeadingAge Ohio has created Choices: Living Well at the End of Life - Seventh Edition. The 7th edition includes the new advance directives documents and vital information to explain the difference between the documents, definitions and FAQs.