Taking Steps Brattleboro

Your questions answered by Joanna Rueter, our Advance Care Planning Coordinator

 

Dear Joanna,
Please can you tell me...what is all the fuss about registering my Advance Directive! I completed my directive, had it witnessed, gave copies to my doctor and agent and family. Now I am being told to register it. Why??????? Annoying!

Dear Annoyed,
Glad you brought this up! I used to think that the main reason for registering your Directive was that if you had a serious accident or illness while travelling anywhere in the U.S, a medical provider would be able to contact the directory and get hold of an electronic copy of your directive. What I didn't understand is that the registry is helpful in your home town as well. If somehow a paper copy is not in your local medical file and you don't have a paper copy with you, providers are required to check the registry as soon as they can. If you have registered your directive, they will access to what you said about your care. Thus it's one additional way of helping everyone follow your wishes.

p.s. I've started explaining the Registry first instead of last. People are excited about the resource and it's really easy to do. No big questions.

Hi Joanna,
I live in Vermont but my doctor is in Massachusetts. The forms my doctor and I currently have are from MA, but in an emergency I could end up in a hospital in Vermont. What do I do about the Vermont Registry? Can I register my Massachusetts documents in Vermont? Thanks! L.C.

Dear L.C.,
Thank you! This was a new question for me-which is great! There's always more to learn. I called the Vermont Ethics Network to ask. Cindy Bruzzese, the director, was very helpful. Here's my understanding of what she said:

1. Since you live in Vermont, it would be good to have a registered directive in Vermont. Most states don't have this service yet.

2. People can register any written instructions about their wishes-it can be a letter. At the same time, the Vermont Advance Directive has been evolving for a long time. It helps guide both the thinking process and discussions. A big help when trying to think this out. It has spaces for you to add in additional details if you want.

3. The form for registering your directive is available on line. http://www.vtethicsnetwork.org/forms/AdDirRegistrationAgreement.pdf

The whole site has a bunch of valuable info.

4. The Vermont Registry requires that if you send in an alternative document you have the same level of witnessing as is outlined in the Vermont Directive: which is that you sign your document while being witnessed by two adults who are not related to you and are not your named agent(proxy). Neither an attorney nor notary are necessary in Vermont.

So yes - you can register your MA documents. However- MA doesn't currently use a living will or advance directive. I recommend reviewing what you currently have and consider completing a Vermont Directive. Feel free to call with any other questions!