Advance directives are a critical part of patient-centered care, allowing individuals to document their preferences for medical treatment if they become unable to speak for themselves. Completing one is a responsible step — but research shows that completion alone does not guarantee your wishes will guide care.
A study by Walker et al. (2018) of 414 primary care patients aged 60 and older found that while 51% had some form of advance care planning (ACP) documentation, including legal forms or recorded discussions, many of these documents were inaccessible at the point of care. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
55% of documented discussions were not easily accessible in the EHR.
For updated preferences that differed from prior forms, 70% were not accessible.
The study underscores a crucial point: an advance directive is only as useful as it is accessible, visible, and actionable when needed.
Why Advance Directives Accessibility Matters
Imagine Mrs. Thompson, a 72-year-old woman with a history of heart disease and diabetes. She spent weeks completing her advance directive, specifying that she did not want aggressive resuscitation if her heart failed, and appointed her daughter as her healthcare proxy.
One evening, Mrs. Thompson experiences a severe cardiac event and is rushed to a hospital where she has never been treated. She arrives unconscious and unable to communicate.
Her advance directive exists, but it is not with her when she is transmitted to the hospital.
Nurses and physicians ask her family about her wishes, but they are unsure of all the details.
Staff default to full resuscitation measures while trying to locate her directive — potentially delivering care that does not align with her documented preferences.
This scenario mirrors the findings of Walker et al.: many patients have completed directives, but the information often cannot reach the care team in time to guide decisions.
How the Legal Directives Emergency Medical Access Card Protects Seniors
This is where the Legal Directives Emergency Medical Access Card makes a critical difference. By combining digital storage and a physical access card, it ensures that your advance directive is always available when seconds count.
1. 24/7 Secure Access
The advance directive is uploaded to the Legal Directives Medical Access Program, which is accessible via fax or through our secure online portal at any time. In an emergency, hospital staff can quickly retrieve the directive via the Emergency Medical Access Card, bypassing inaccessible EHR fields or paper files.
2. Family & Provider Shared Access
Family members and trusted contacts can access the patient’s healthcare directives. This ensures that everyone involved in care — from first responders to attending physicians — sees the same information, reducing confusion and aligning decisions with the patient’s wishes.
3. Immediate Recognition in Emergencies
The physical Emergency Medical Access Card acts as a prompt for hospital staff: it signals that the patient has a documented advance directive available for immediate review. This is especially valuable for patients admitted to hospitals outside of their usual network, where prior records may not be easily obtained.
Applying It to Our Hypothetical Scenario
Returning to Mrs. Thompson: with the Emergency Medical Access Card, her daughter shows the card to the admitting nurse. Within seconds, the hospital team has called the emergency number and Mrs. Thompson’s healthcare directives are faxed to the hospital. Everyone involved now has access to the documents and understands her preferences.
They see that she declined aggressive resuscitation measures.
The care team is able to honor her wishes immediately, rather than defaulting to treatments she would not have wanted.
Her daughter gains peace of mind, knowing her mother’s voice is being heard.
By turning the advance directive from a static document into a living, accessible resource, Legal Directives ensures the care team can act in accordance with the patient’s preferences — exactly what Walker et al. identify as a critical safety and quality improvement need.
How You Can Provide 24/7 Access to Your Healthcare Directives
Walker et al.’s study highlights a widespread problem: many patients take the vital step of completing advance directives, yet the system fails to make these documents useful at the point of care.
The Legal Directives Emergency Medical Access Card transforms that situation. It:
Provides instant access to your advance directive, anytime, anywhere.
Keeps family members and providers informed and aligned.
Ensures your care preferences are respected even in emergencies.
An advance directive is more than paperwork — it is your voice in critical moments. Make sure that voice is heard.
References
Walker E., McMahan R., Barnes D., Katen M., Lamas D., Sudore R. Advance Care Planning Documentation Practices and Accessibility in the Electronic Health Record: Implications for Patient Safety. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2018 Feb;55(2):256‑264. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28943360/