Q. Some states have a password-protected database for health-care directives. The owner carries a card with access information, and his or her wishes are immediately made known to health-care providers as necessary. Does North Carolina have a similar system? -- E.K.
A. Yes. In North Carolina you can have your health-care wishes recorded in the Secretary of State Knowledge Base.
The cost is $10 to register each of four kinds of advance health-care directives: power of attorney, living will, instruction for mental-health treatment, and organ donor card. All of these documents except the donor card must be notarized. The donor card requires your signature and that of two witnesses.
To register your directives:
□ Go to www.sosnc.com, and print and complete a registration sheet.
□ Include one cover sheet for all of the directives you submit.
□ Include $10 for each directive.
□ Mail to Advance Health Care Directive Registry, NC SOS, P.O. Box 29622, Raleigh, NC 27626-0622.
Your paperwork will be scanned into the database and returned to you, along with a card containing a file number and password. Give copies of the card to those who you want to make decisions for you in case you can't make them yourself.
You can access your directives online at www.sosnc.com or www.nclifelinks.org.
To withdraw directives, complete a removal form found on the Web site, have it notarized, and send it to the address above. Once withdrawn, the documents will no longer be accessible online.
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