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Einstein Healthcare Network honors the decisions you make about the end of your life. As required by law, hospital staff will ask if you have an advance directive stating those decisions.
Types of Advance Directives
The following advance directives are documents that communicate your wishes in the event you cannot speak for yourself. Patients who have such directives are encouraged to bring them to the hospital.
- Living Will. This document contains written instructions for your care in the event you are permanently unconscious or have an end-stage medical condition, which is a condition or illness that will result in your death. Living wills can include your wishes about life support and other medical treatment choices, such as pain relief.
- Power of Attorney for Healthcare. Through this document, you may appoint a relative or friend as a healthcare agent to make healthcare decisions on your behalf.
- Combined Directive. This document includes both a living will and a healthcare power of attorney.
If You Don't Have an Advanced Directive
If you become incompetent and lack a living will or power of attorney, a healthcare representative may make choices on your behalf. You may designate a healthcare representative by putting it in writing or telling your healthcare provider in person while you are of sound mind.
If you do not name a healthcare representative, your provider will choose a representative for you, such as spouse, adult child, parent, brother or sister or close friend.
Learn More
If you'd like to talk to someone, call the Patient Services Department at 215-456-6334.
You can also download and read more about advance directives in Decide For Yourself: A Guide to Advance Directives. (PDF, in English) (PDF, En Espanol)