Advance Directives and Medical Powers of Attorney are More Important than Ever
My office has recently been inundated with calls and emails from people with questions about the rising importance of Medical Powers of Attorney and advance directives during this coronavirus crisis. Here is an overview of what I have been sharing with them:
WHY HAVE ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND MEDICAL POWERS OF ATTORNEY BECOME MORE CRUCIAL DURING COVID-19?
Because the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) is so contagious, you or your loved ones will very likely be alone in the hospital if they have been diagnosed with Covid-19, and may be alone even if they do not have Covid-19. In an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, most hospitals have completely prohibited any visitation whatsoever. In doing so, hospitals are trying to address their need to protect visitors from contracting the virus and also from visitors potentially spreading the virus within the hospital.
Without the ability for normal hospital visitation, you or your family cannot talk with doctors or other necessary hospital personnel in person or even right away, despite any urgent need to do so. Without the ability to be present and deliver required documents, you can’t advise the doctor as to who the patient’s health care agent is, authorize necessary medical care, or provide any other pertinent medical information about the patient, and they certainly cannot share anything with you.
Absent the ability for in-person visitation, doctors can only communicate with family members by phone or video chat. And it can be hard for doctors to know the phone numbers or contact information for family members even if they do know whom they are supposed to talk to.
Advance directives and medical powers of attorney, in this scenario, can get the communication ball rolling.
But how are doctors supposed to get the advance directives if the family isn’t present to provide them?
This is why digital access to these documents is especially helpful right now.
Most often, advance directives and medical powers of attorney generally are not available at the hospital. Many studies have shown this. In fact, they show that these crucial documents are not available at the hospital at least 75% of the times they are needed.
Having and storing these executed documents electronically enable clients to access them remotely via a cloud storage database and be sure that hospitals and doctors can receive these legal authorizations quickly by sending it to them via facsimile or email from your mobile phone.
The coronavirus has taken these somewhat sleepy legal-medical documents, the advance directives and medical powers of attorney, and has thrust them from the back burner to the urgent forefront in caring for our loved ones. At this time of Covid-19, you have an opportunity to prepare yourself and your family by making sure these legal authorizations and directives are in place, up-to-date, and accessible so that you can have instant, digital access to them at any hospital they may go to.
And as we have seen, there is little predictability (let alone common sense) of how long these restrictive stay-in-place and work-from-home orders will remain or even be extended. And even after certain restrictions begin to be relaxed, the safeguards surrounding the hospitals and our access to them will likely remain quite prohibitive. What we can predict and control, however, is our ability to be prepared regardless of the circumstances in which we are put.
TAKE CARE OF THINGS YOU HAVE WITHIN YOUR ABILITY AND CONTROL TO TAKE CARE OF.
Estate planning can be straightforward or complex but it is vital at every level and for many reasons especially with what is happing in our country today. It is wise for everyone to be prepared and have an estate plan in place that is tailored for your specific needs and those of your family. Don’t wait to engage an estate planning attorney to create your estate plan today.
As a Michigan estate-planning attorney, Matthew Abraham engages in close and careful consultation with his clients so that the documents prepared are custom fit for each client’s particular situation. Matthew prepares his clients’ estate planning documents so they will accurately and effectively speak to their wishes and goals.
Abraham | Law: Experienced and Exceptional Estate Planning Representation
You’ve invested a lifetime in building your business. Estate planning is essential to preserve your hard earned business, assets, and your legacy. Having an experienced Michigan Estate Planning Attorney to protect your interests is important. Matthew Abraham of Abraham | Law will assist you through the intricate process of thoroughly preparing a complete estate plan tailored to meet your specific needs and wishes. With the myriad of estate planning tools available to you, you need an estate planning law firm that will guide you in the best direction for your family.
For assistance with all of your estate planning needs, call Abraham | Law today at (810) 750-0440 to schedule your free virtual or telephone consultation.
MORE INFORMATION: The Importance of Estate Planning During the Coronavirus Pandemic