Communication is Key to a Comprehensive Estate Plan.
As part of a comprehensive estate plan, most attorneys include documents to state your wishes for your health care. However, is executing the documents the last step in communicating your wishes? In an emergency, where are these documents going to be? Does your physician receive a copy of these documents?
Where Will Your Medical Directive Be When Needed?
According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in 3 out of 4 cases (that’s 75% of the time), a patient’s health care documents are unavailable when needed by a hospital. Another study showed that in almost 75 percent of cases, physicians were not aware that their patients even had advance directives.
Many states have recognized the need for registries of medical directives. Oklahoma adopted a medical directive registry law in 2009. However, it is still awaiting implementation.
We are pleased to have entered into a strateic partnership with one of the leading Medical Directive Registries available. We believe it is important to take this last step and communicate your wishes. Therefore, we have negotiated to provide our clients with enrollment in DocuBank® Emergency Card and its associated private registry service, at a significant savings.
Enrollment in this program covers three important communications:
-
Upon enrollment, your physician is sent a fax informing him or her about your enrollment and the availability of your directives for immediate transmission so that they can be added to your file or chart;
-
During your enrollment period, your health care documents are available when they are needed, around the clock, every day, anywhere in the world; and,
-
Every time your registered documents are requested, a communication goes out to you and/or your proxy.
DocuBank provides hospitals with immediate access to your healthcare directives and emergency information, 24/7/365. Our office includes DocuBank as part of our comprehensive estate planning package to ensure that your living will, health care power of attorney and other important medical information will be available at the hospital when needed.
A Client Reminder and Access to Update Your Information.
Be sure to carry your DocuBank Emergency Access Card in your wallet -- next to your driver’s license or health insurance card -- at all times.
You should also periodically update your emergency contact and medical information stored with DocuBank. To do so, simply click here. You will need your member number, PIN and personal password (default set to your zip code).
Additional DocuBank Services.
DocuBank also provides protection for: minor children, college students, adults, and adults with special needs. For more information on all the valuable DocuBank services, visit www.DocuBank.com.
