Directive to Physicians

A Directive to Physicians often takes a front seat among Texas estate planning resources because it directly impacts an individual's health and well-being in the here and now. It empowers you to maintain control over your medical treatment and guides your loved ones if they’re faced with difficult decisions about providing your medical care in a time of crisis.

Also known as a Living Will or Advance Directive, a Directive to Physicians is a legal document that lets you specify your wishes about medical intervention in the event you can’t communicate your preferences later on. A Directive to Physicians is not the same as a Medical Power of Attorney that designates who will make healthcare decisions for you when you’re unable to make them yourself.  A Directive states what you want those decisions to be.

Broadly speaking, a Directive speaks to your decisions about medical care such as:

• CPR;
• Use of a defibrillator;
• Mechanical ventilation;
• Tube feeding;
• Hospice and other comfort care;
• Use of antivirals and antibiotics; and,
• Dialysis

A Directive to Physicians is used to provide instructions directly to doctors regarding your desire to be placed on life-support if you have either a terminal condition or an irreversible condition.

You’ll want to create a Directive to Physicians if you have strong preferences about life support measures. If you don’t have a firm opinion about your end-of-life healthcare, it’s still a good idea to have a Directive. The decision to stop life support is never easy; you can prevent your family from having to make a tough call by creating a Directive.

If you have a Directive to Physicians currently in place, you may want to revisit it every few years. What you wanted five years ago may not be what you want now. Plus, as your family, health, and other life circumstances shift, you may realize that your opinions on medical treatments have changed, as well. Time, significant life changes, and new government regulations can all necessitate a review of your Directive.

As seasoned estate planning lawyers, we at Reagan Moore frequently prepare Directives to Physicians. Our first step is to ask our clients to describe their objectives.  Understanding their goals will shape our strategy for them. We’re here to discuss your goals and your options.