Advance Directives Resources

A Personal Decision

The Illinois State Medical Society values the relationships that patients have with their treating physicians. We recognize that these relationships exist for years and, in some instances, include physicians caring for generations of families. The drafting of advance directives includes a face-to-face patient conversation with his/her treating physician of choice or rather, the physician whom the patient believes is best suited to answer questions about the his/her current health status, past medical history, and future concerns. When elected by the patient, these conversations may also include face-to-face dialogues with family members and friends.

ISMS offers A Personal Decision as a resource to educate patients and their families about advance directives and help patients make their wishes known. This booklet provides Illinois patients with practical information about determining future medical care.

The advance directives booklet includes:

• A Living Will Form
• Statutory Short Form for Power of Attorney for
  Health Care
• Illinois Official Statutory Declaration for Mental
  Health Treatment Form
• Organ Donor Card
• Uniform DNR Advance Directive Physician Orders for
  Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)

ISMS makes the brochure available to the general public as a digital download at no cost. 

Additional advance directive information from the Illinois Department of Public Health. This page also includes Spanish language advance directive forms.

If you are a healthcare professional or staff member who is interested in printing copies of A Personal Decision for your patients, please contact us to complete a user agreement with no fee. We also offer the opportunity for you to co-brand this resource by adding your logo next to ours.