Why a signed directive or care order only helps if someone can open it in time, and what makes medical wishes findable at the scene and the bedside.
Medical Decisions
About one in three U.S. adults has an advance directive. Bay Pines VA shows even signed papers go stale. Why findability matters when you can't speak.
Medical Decisions
Utah's statute and the 2025 state EMS protocol guidelines both recognize written care orders. Neither one finds the order for the crew. What Utah's rules say, and why a signed order still has to be reachable on scene.
Law & Policy
California chaptered SB 1088 in late September 2026, clarifying electronic POLST signatures and the path to findable care orders. What is verified, why it matters, and what families can do before January 1, 2027.