Advance care planning

An advance care plan provides information to others about your wishes in case illness or injury prevents you from telling them yourself.

Advance care planning is designed to help anyone, healthy or sick, communicate their wishes for medical treatment. This planning process will clarify what your family and friends need to know if you become unable to make health care decisions for yourself.

When you put these wishes in writing, this kind of plan is called a health care directive.

Advance care planning is a process to:

• Understand your health care treatment options.
• Clarify your health care goals.
• Weigh your options about what kind of care and treatment you would want or not want.
• Make decisions about whether you want to appoint a health care agent or complete a health care directive.
• Communicate your wishes and any documents with your family, friends and health care provider.

Health care directive paper option

Fill out your health care directive in your secure online account. If you don't want to fill out your health care directive online, you can also print out and fill in the paper form:

When you print the PDF, please print it one-sided. This document will be scanned into your electronic health record.

After you print the PDF and fill it out, have it signed by two witnesses or have it notarized by a notary public. Then give copies to your health care provider and health care agent(s).

Learn more about health care directives.

Advance care planning reference guides

These guides will help you and your loved ones plan for the future.

Advance care planning FAQ

Advance care planning glossary of terms

Advance care planning discussion guide

CPR and advance care planning: What you need to know

Advance care planning videos

Watch some short videos that explain advance care planning and related topics.

HealthClips

Honoring Choices Minnesota