Petalique, wow. Great question . I never thought of that. Hope we get the answer.

ETA: Just asked DH what he thought about this which is the sort of thing I often wonder about. He said maybe take a photo on your phone, so you could show it to the hospital, doctor, etc. That sounded pretty good to me. He also mentioned doing the same with your attorney's name and number.

Many states have an advance health care directive registry where a digital copy can be stored. However, an emergency room or EMT probably won't check those as their first move is to preserve life.

Having an emergency contact on your phone is the best solution and that contact should have copies of your directives, MPOA, etc.

The original can be stored in your safe or even in a fireproof container at home.

The hospital in your area, your doctor would be the first place I would file such a document. After that short of a medical ID bracelet you have no assurance emergency personnel will have the time to look for said document ANYWHERE. Even driver's licensences with organ donation on them are over ridden by family initially in certain instances.

I like the idea of having a signed copy at home and on the phone, and same for advance directives. Maybe notarized if possible.

My experience with my father and now my mother is that it’s a pretty fragmented system, even within the same hospital. Always filling out the same stuff. But I’ll also say I’ve found it to be pretty casually handled. I say I’m the proxy and that seems to be good enough; I’ve never been challenged on it. Come to think of it, I don’t actually know if I’m officially named on anything beyond forms that I myself filled out for them.

Oh it's so annoying. I can't get at DH's Rx orders on a phone call. They say I have to fill out a form, but then they can't check to see if the form is there unless they have his permission to access his information!!! Funny. They never have that issue when I go to pay his bill!!

I keep trying to get all bases covered, we have our health care POAs, and yet is seems every time I go someplace else, I run into roadblocks again.

I think I'm going to make a recording of DH saying that I am his wife and he gives his permission for them to share all info with me. That would seem to be the only thing that works. I mean we're ok for now while he can speak for himself, but if that should change, then I'm in trouble. A lot of the time he wants me to do the calls as with his hearing situation, he can't understand a lot of the folks on the phone, especially if they are soft spoken or have an accent.

I was the proxy for both my parents and used to carry a photocopy of each, in my purse.

In my state, you have to be certain to have a Durable Power Of Attorney for Health Care in order for it to remain in effect if the person giving it becomes incompetent. A regular Power of Attorney is only in effect while the giver is competent, only the Durable will be honored. Not sure if this is true in other states but worth investigating. Most places would require a notarized original, not sure a photo would do. If your health system uses MY Chart, it can be entered there. Otherwise, maybe keep in a safe place and be sure someone else knows where and can access it. In case you are both in a car accident or something, or you can’t get home to get it. Good idea to both have back up people with DPOA, too.