Advance directives are instructions freely issued by an adult with sufficient capacity to his or her attending physician to be taken into account in case the patient is in a situation that makes it impossible to personally express his or her wishes.

 

Therefore, they are a way for people to express their independence when making decisions about their own health, which is a legally and ethically supported right.

With this document:

• Respect for patients' personal decisions is preserved.
• Doctors' confidence increases when it is time to respect these decisions.

In addition, professional support when drafting the document improves the care that will be provided in certain circumstances and strengthens the relationship between patients and their attending physicians.

 

 How to prepare this document

• It can be done before a notary public.
• It can also be done with three witnesses. Please enquire at the People Service Unit at the hospital, where they will help you with the required procedures to make it formal and register it.

For more information, please visit the advance directives section on Canal Salut.