Advance Care Planning

Feel confident that you’ll get the health care you want—even when you’re no longer able to communicate with your doctors or loved ones. 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 "advance directives"

Medical Insight: Advance Care Planning

View video transcript Listen to audio description (MP3)

What’s an Advance Directive/Health Care Directive?

Recording your wishes in writing is the best way to make sure your health care team and loved ones will be able to honor your wishes if you can't speak for yourself. A health care directive (advance directive) is a written legal document in which a person states goals, values and beliefs about health care treatment decisions, including who should make those decisions, in the event a person can no longer make those decisions for him/herself.

Health Care Agents

It is important to choose a “health care agent”—the person you would want to be your advocate if you are unable to speak for yourself. Choose someone who is willing to accept the responsibility, someone who knows you well, is calm in a crisis, and is not afraid to ask questions and explain your wishes to doctors. Include your agent in your advance care planning discussions.

How Can I Get Started?

To begin your advance care planning process:

• Speak with your provider and find out if your clinic provides facilitated advance care planning visits or group classes
• Choose your health care agent

Resources to Create Your Directive

Laws about advance directives vary by state. One state’s advance directive does not always work in another state. Learn about the rules where you live and find resources to create your advance directives below:

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

Add Your Directive to Your 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: HISAdvanceDirective@EssentiaHealth.org
• Upload documents through MyChart
• Mail a signed copy of your directive to:
  • Essentia Health West Annex Cube 45
    400 East Third Street
    Duluth, MN 55805

For More Information

Contact us at:

• Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin - 218-786-5975
• Central Minnesota - 218-828-7530
• Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota - 701-364-4828

Essentia also offers advance care planning materials to patients via MyChart.

For Catholics

Explore the Catholic Church’s teachings regarding end-of-life decision-making at Catholicendoflife.org. You’ll find general resources as well as guidance approved by the bishop or archbishop in your area.

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.