Plan ahead for your health care decisions with Oregon's official Advance Directive form.
An Oregon Advance Directive for Health Care is a legal document that lets you make important decisions about your medical care in advance. If you ever become too sick to speak for yourself or are unable to make your own medical decisions, this form ensures your wishes are known and respected.
The Advance Directive allows you to name a health care representative — a person you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf — and to express your values, beliefs, and preferences regarding your care. It is not the same as a POLST (Portable Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment), which is a separate medical order defined in ORS 127.663.
This form is available from the Oregon Health Authority and is governed by Oregon law. You must sign it, and it must be witnessed by two witnesses or a notary to be effective. Your appointment of a health care representative is not effective until that person accepts the appointment.
Name a person to make health care decisions for you if you become unable to make them yourself. You can also name alternate representatives.
Express your wishes about life-sustaining treatments in three situations: terminal conditions, advanced progressive illness, and permanent unconsciousness.
Share what matters most to you — your values, beliefs, goals, and priorities for care — so your representative and providers understand your perspective.
Indicate your wishes regarding organ and tissue donation, as well as your preferences for the disposition of your body after death.
Read through all seven sections before filling anything out. Understanding the full scope of the form will help you make thoughtful decisions about each section.
Select someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf. Have a conversation with them about your wishes before completing the form. You may also choose first and second alternates.
In Section 3, you will express your preferences for three medical situations: a terminal condition, advanced progressive illness, and permanent unconsciousness. For each, choose the option that best reflects your wishes.
You must sign the form in the presence of two witnesses or a notary public. Your witnesses cannot be your health care representative or alternate representatives. Bring the completed form to our office and we can assist with proper execution.
Every adult in Oregon should consider completing an Advance Directive. Serious illness or injury can happen at any age, and having your wishes documented ensures that your health care providers and loved ones know what you want if you are unable to communicate.
If you do not have an effective health care representative appointment and you become too sick to speak for yourself, a representative will be appointed for you in the order of priority set forth in ORS 127.635(2). That person can only decide to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments if you meet one of the conditions in ORS 127.635(1). Having your own Advance Directive gives you control over who makes these decisions and what guidance they follow.
Yes. If your directive includes directions regarding the withdrawal of life support or tube feeding, you may revoke it at any time and in any manner that expresses your desire to revoke it. In all other cases, you may revoke your directive at any time as long as you are capable of making medical decisions. A new Advance Directive will replace any older one.
An Advance Directive is a planning document for any adult who wants to express future health care preferences and appoint a representative. A POLST (Portable Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) is a medical order typically used by individuals who are seriously ill or near the end of life. The POLST is signed by a health care provider and goes into effect immediately. The two documents serve different purposes and can complement each other.
You need either two witnesses or a notary public. Your witnesses should be adults who are not named as your health care representative or alternates. Oregon law does not require witnesses to be unrelated to you, but choosing impartial witnesses can help avoid potential challenges.
Keep the original in a safe, accessible place and give copies to your health care representative, your alternates, your primary care physician, and any hospital where you regularly receive care. You should also let close family members know that you have completed one and where it is located. Do not lock it in a safe deposit box where it may be difficult to access in an emergency.
Our office can assist you with completing and properly executing your form.
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