If you have a driver’s license in Maryland, you have probably already given at a least a cursory thought to organ donation. You can provide much more detailed information about your organ donation preferences (also called anatomical gifts) in your Advance Directive.
What Happens if You Don’t Have a Advance Directive
You’ve probably heard horror stories about people who didn’t have advance directives or living wills: Terri Schiavo is the most high-profile example. In Maryland, not having an advance directive means that someone you did not choose could be making important health care decisions that could prolong or shorten your life. An advance directive typically consists of two parts: (1) a health…
Use Your Phone to Manage your Advance Directive
Advance directives are terrific tools that let you chose how you want your medical decisions handled if you are unable to make them yourself. But they can only be effective if they can be found and shared when they are needed. A new app produced by the American Bar Association hopes to make advance directives more accessible and more effective…
How to Choose a Health Care Agent
Choosing the right health care agent is the centerpiece to an effective advance directive. Your health care agent makes medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make them yourself. Similar to choosing a personal representative, your health care agent should be someone you trust and who understands your values. In Maryland, your health care agent must be at…