Advance Medical Directives? Now There's an App for That

An advance directive gives instructions on the kind of medical care you would like to receive should you become unable to express your wishes yourself, and it often designates someone to make medical decisions for you. But an important document like this won’t be of much use in an emergency if it’s tucked away in a safe deposit box or in a file cabinet somewhere. 

Mind Your Loved Ones

That’s why the American Bar Association’s Commission on Law and Aging came up with the app Mind Your Loved Ones, which allows you to import and store your or a family member's advance directive, along with other critical information, on your smartphone so that it’s there for medical decision-making anytime, anywhere. One of the more recent features is simplified sharing so that you can share all or part of a profile with another family member or friend in a few clicks. Loved ones whom the individual chooses can carry the same information on their phones. They don’t have to hunt for the information in their files or sign on to a webpage to get it. 

Keep Your Documents Readily Available

Don’t have a smartphone, you say? Well, it’s a good bet that someone close to you does, and having your information on that person’s phone could be a lifesaver. Here’s an example: Let’s say you live in San Francisco, and your son, who holds your health care power of attorney, lives in Washington, D.C. While on vacation in Boston, you are suddenly rushed to the ER at Mass General Hospital. A wallet card is found stating that your son has your advanced care plan on his iPhone. Your son is coaching soccer in D.C., but with one click, he is able to email the documents needed to speak with hospital staff to make key decisions. Crucial moments are saved, and your son is there in a way never possible before in a medical crisis.

In the Apple Store or Google Play, the app is about $9.99 per year.

Other Ways to Store Advance Directives

Advance directives can be digitally stored in other ways. For example, DocuBank makes health care and legal documents available 24/7 with a phone call. MyDirectives is a free web-based system. Some states have established online registries, and there have been attempts to create a national registry. You can, of course, also store a document on any phone or tablet, without an app, or file one in a cloud-based storage system.

The most important first step is to have an advance directive -- most Americans don't despite how important health care decision-making is. But once you have one, make sure it's there when you need it most. 

Find an attorney near you to learn more about advance directives.