At Health1Pro we believe that Medical Legal Documents and an appropriate Estate Plan go hand-in-hand with our goal of providing comprehensive Primary Healthcare that which the current American Medical System does not allow for. Included in your Health1Pro membership are the legal documents and planning that are naturally associated with health matters. Our highly experienced legal team will be working alongside your Personal Care Manager to make sure these important documents are put in place in a timely and convenient manner.

Recent studies revealed that 65% of American adults do not have the necessary legal documents or an estate plan in place. Understandably, medical documents and estate planning are uncomfortable topics to confront but they shouldn’t be put off. At Health1Pro, we know by experience the unnecessary difficulties that arise when the medical documents aren’t in place when a health crisis occurs. In a medical emergency, someone needs to have authority to act and make decisions on your behalf, when you can’t. We also understand the stress involved with having to locate a lawyer to arrange a meeting and the high costs associated with this planning. Even more stressful for your loved ones, however, is not having any plan in place when you die. Personalized medical documents and having an estate plan are closely related to one’s health. Knowing these documents are in place provides peace of mind for you and your family, just in case anything unforeseen happens.

One of the first things in a comprehensive healthcare plan is getting three personalized medical legal documents in place, they are:

• 1.) Durable Medical Power of Attorney: the difference this makes for your family or friends supporting you in the event of critical hospital care can’t be overstated. Without this, there is very little your family can do for you and limits are placed on how much they can work with the medical professionals caring for you.
• 2.) Personalized Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Directive: this document can and should be personalized for your specific wishes. When you check in through an Emergency Room they will ask if you have a DNR and if not, they will ask if you want one put in place, they will provide you with a general DNR that doesn’t take into consideration the specifics of your desires around this important matter. A basic DNR provided by Hospital Emergency Rooms allows for no extraordinary resuscitation efforts by the hospital medical team whereas a Personalize DNR provides guidance for the hospital medical professionals according to your specific wishes. This critical decision should be made in a non-emergency setting where you have time to think about very specific options and make your wishes known.
• 2.) A Living Will: this is a statement detailing your desires regarding your medical treatment in circumstances in which you are no longer able to express informed consent. Creating a Living Will is important whether you are healthy now, or not. Without a Living Will your family or Durable Medical Power of Attorney is forced to make difficult decisions on your behalf. Outlining your wishes helps them in times of high stress emergencies when they are trying to balance your wishes with what are sometimes complex issues about the best care for you. This document also serves as a Directive regarding your burial wishes at death. Having these documents in place is an act of love and consideration for those showing up for you when you need someone the most.

The next and final step in taking control of your health care is addressing legal concerns by putting an Estate Plan in place. Again, it’s not pleasant dealing with these matters but the sense of relief from knowing all is in order is worth the inconvenience. Estate planning opens up some very important conversations in families and the process takes time. Estate planning involves developing a comprehensive plan to help transfer your assets to the people or organizations of your choice upon your death. If you own any valuable assets—including a house, a car, or a bank account—or if there are people who depend on you, you should have an estate plan in place. Even if you're single with no dependents, it could be as simple as a living trust and a will to ensure that you get to choose what happens to you and your possessions at your death, instead of the state. Even if your estate calls for a more sophisticated estate plan, the Health1Pro Legal team is able to provide a high-quality solution.