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Advance Care Planning
You can speak up and have a say in your care. Getting health care often involves choices that impact your life and well-being in different ways. Talk with your care team at Essentia Health about creating a legal document that puts your wishes in writing.
What’s Advance Care Planning?
Advance care planning is a process that helps you think and talk about your choices for health care in the future. It is important for every adult to have an advance directive, which is also known as a health care directive or living will. This written plan allows loved ones and health care providers to follow your wishes if an accident or illness makes you unable to speak for yourself.
Advance care planning visits help you to:
- Learn about life-sustaining treatments
- Discuss your values, beliefs, and preferences
- Talk about your goals for medical treatments
- Decide what type of treatments you do or don’t want if you’re affected by a life-limiting condition
- Prepare legal documents called "health care directives"
What is a Health Care or Advance Directive?
A health care directive is a written legal document that allows you to name your health care agent(s) and will let them, your care team and loved ones know what you want if you are not able talk to them. It clearly shares your values, beliefs, and hopes for your care.
Health Care Agents
What is a Health Care Agent (Health Care Power of Attorney)?
A health care agent is a person you pick to make medical decisions for you if you are not able to. Choose one or two backup agents in case your primary agent is not available. Your health care agent(s) should be 18 years of age or older and willing to:
- Take on this role for you.
- Listen to you.
- Understand your values, goals, and health care choices.
- Follow your choices, even when they do not agree with them.
- Make decisions for you during hard times
What Should I Talk to My Health Care Agent About?
Talk about your answers to these questions with your health care agent(s):
- What activities bring joy and meaning to your life?
- What are your most important goals if your health were to get worse?
- What do you want people who care for you to know about your spiritual and cultural beliefs?
- What gives you strength when you think about your future? Some examples may include prayer, people in your life, music or family traditions.
- What are your hopes for your health?
How To Get Started?
To begin your advance care planning process:
- Choose your health care agent. Think about who you'd want to speak for you if you couldn't speak for yourself. Start to have a conversation with them about your goals for future care.
- Ask a member of your health care team for help. We can help you fill out a health care directive form. We can also make sure you fill out the correct form for your state.
- Attend one of the virtual advance care planning classes.
- Contact Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Call:
- Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin: 218-786-5975
- Central Minnesota (Brained Lakes region): 218-828-7530
- Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota: 701-364-4373
How To Get Your Wishes in Writing
Health Care Directive Forms
- Long Form Health Care Directives: Recommended for all individuals, especially those with a serious illness
- Short Form Health Care Directives: For those who only want to appoint a health care agent
Resources to Create Your Health Care Directive
- Catholic Guidance for End-of-Life Decision Making
- Advanced Care Planning of North Dakota
- Wisconsin Medical Society
- Life Source – Learn about organ and tissue donation.
- National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) – This national organization raises awareness of advance care planning.
- The Conversation Project – Learn how to talk about end-of-life care with family and doctors.
FAQ's
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Where Should I Keep My Health Care Directive?
Keep the original copy of your signed and completed health care directive in an easily accessible and safe place at home. Give copies to your:
- Health care agent
- Family members or other loved ones who are likely to be involved in your health care
- Primary care clinician or health care team and local hospital
Share your directive with your Essentia Health team. We will scan it into your medical record. You can do one of the following:
- Return a copy by mail to: Essentia Health Esko Distribution Center - HIM, 126 Bedrock Lane, Esko, MN 55733
- Email: [email protected]
- Fax to 218-786-8977
- Upload a copy to your MyChart Account. Log-in to MyChart, click Medical Record, Medical Tools and Advance Directives.
- You can bring your directive to your clinic if you have an in-person appointment. Ask to have it scanned to your medical record.
- Be sure to keep your original
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How Long Does My Health Care Directive Last?
Your health care directive lasts until you complete a new one. Review your directive from time to time to make sure it reflects your current wishes.
We may feel differently as we go through life, as things change, as we age or get a new diagnosis, or lose a loved one. If you change your mind on anything in the directive, it is important to update a new directive.
Talk about your current wishes with your health care team, agent and the rest of your family and support community.
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How Do I Add My Health Care Directive to My Medical Record?
You can also add your directive to your medical record by sending it to our Health Information Services department.
There are a few different ways to send it:
- Fax: 218-786-8977
- Email: [email protected]
- Upload documents through MyChart
- Mail a signed copy of your directive to:
- Essentia Health Esko Distribution Center - HIM
126 Bedrock Lane
Esko, MN 55733
- Essentia Health Esko Distribution Center - HIM
To Request More Information
Contact us at:
- Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin - 218-786-5975
- Central Minnesota (Brainerd Lakes region) - 218-828-7530
- Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota - 701-364-4828
Essentia also offers advance care planning materials to patients via MyChart.
Video Resources
- Advance Care Planning Video: It's About the Conversation
- This pre-recorded webinar is for anyone in the community interested in learning about advance care planning and taking steps towards completing an advance directive. This webinar encourages proactive conversations with loved ones.
- Advance Care Planning Video: POLST and DNAR Explained
- This pre-recorded webinar is geared toward health care professionals such as nurses and/or social workers in skilled nursing facilities, EMS and first responders.