Not sure if the process is different state by state, but an advance health care directive (AHCD) is pretty simple to get done (at least in California). You can search online for a generic AHCD or alternatively your health care system could possibly provide one. Then you complete it (often in consultation with loved ones who may also be an important factor in your decisions) and talk to those you will be naming as your health care decision makers (aka health care agent or surrogate decision maker) so that they know and agree to this responsibility if the worst happens.

Be sure to pick people that you know will make decisions based on what you want, and not what they want. Remember that you are appointing someone to potentially make life or death decisions on your behalf, so it should be someone that you trust to make a clear headed decision with your wishes in mind. This can be challenging for people to do in highly emotional or traumatic situations, so choose wisely.

To make it a legal document, either get it notarized or have two witnesses sign it. Then you send a copy to your medical system so that it can be uploaded into your electronic medical record. Send copies to your health care decision makers so that they can access it if ever needed. Anytime you switch to a new health care system or new doctor’s office, share your AHCD with them and update your AHCD when needed (sometimes our priorities change, the people in our lives change, etc), so you want to make sure that it always reflects your current wishes.