An Advance Directive tells your doctor what kind of care you would like to have if you become unable to make medical decisions (you are in a coma, for example). If you are admitted to a hospital, the hospital staff will probably talk to you about an Advance Directive. A good Advance Directive describes the kind of treatment you would want depending on how sick you are. For example, an Advance Directive would describe what kind of care you want if you have an illness that you are unlikely to recover from, or if you are permanently unconscious. An Advance Directive usually informs your physician that you don’t want certain kinds of treatment. However, they can also say that you want a certain treatment no matter how ill you are.

It is the policy of Illinois Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery Center that any Advance Directive will not be honored. However, we will revive, stabilize and transfer patients to a hospital in a life threatening situation. You may bring a copy of your Advance Directive and it will be placed in your patient chart in the event of an emergency hospital transfer.

As a courtesy to our patients, a copy of the State of Illinois’ “Statutory Short Form for Powers of Attorney for Health Care” can be provided to you upon request.