Provider Obligations
- Vermont Advance Directive Registry

On or before June 5, 2007, providers and facilities must develop protocols to ensure that the provider or facility checks the registry when an individual is admitted or provided services.

Providers who are issued a registry account shall agree to protect the registry account number issued to the provider and to limit access to the identification number to their employees with a need to access the registry.

Providers who are issued a registry account shall train their employees on the proper use of the registry and the registrants’ documents, and the obligation to report any unauthorized access or misuse of information to the Vermont Department of Health.

Agents, guardians, healthcare providers, health care facilities, residential care facilities, staff members, funeral directors, crematory operators, cemetery officials and persons appointed to arrange for the disposition of the principal’s remains, when making decisions concerning a principal without capacity or for a deceased principal, shall follow the instructions in the advance directive regardless of the form of the advance directive.

A healthcare provider, healthcare facility, and residential care facility shall not provide healthcare to a patient without capacity, except on an emergency basis, without first attempting to determine whether the patient has an advance directive in effect.

If a healthcare provider, while treating an incapacitated patient, learns of an amendment, suspension or revocation of an advance directive, the healthcare provider shall make reasonable efforts to confirm it, record it in the principal’s medical record and flag it on the front of the file, and notify the registry by completing and submitting the registry’s Provider Notification form, and notify the agent, and guardian of the amendment, or revocation.

If a healthcare provider, while treating a patient with capacity, learns of an amendment, suspensions or revocation of an advance directive, the healthcare provider shall ensure it is recorded it in the principal’s medical record and flagged on the front of the file and shall notify the registry by completing and submitting the registry’s Provider Notification form.

A health care provider, not currently providing health or residential care to a principal, learns of an amendment, suspension or revocation of an advance directive, the healthcare provider shall ensure it is recorded it in the principal’s medical record and flagged on the front of the file and shall notify the registry by completing and submitting the registry’s Provider Notification form.

A healthcare facility, residential care facility, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery official, organ procurement organization, probate court official and the employees thereof not currently providing health or residential care to a principal, learns of an amendment, suspension or revocation of an advance directive, they shall ensure it is recorded it in the principal’s medical record and flagged on the front of the file and shall notify the registry by completing and submitting the registry’s Provider Notification form.

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