Health Care Directives Registry

How the Registry Works

A healthcare directive locked in a drawer does not help during an emergency. This statute creates a system for a central, electronic registry. Arizona residents can store their documents there so providers can find them quickly.

The Department of Health Services does not run the registry itself. Instead, it picks a health information exchange to build and run it. That group handles the technology, storage, and daily operations.

The registry accepts healthcare directives, prehospital medical care directives, and any changes or cancellations of those documents.

What the Registry Does and Does Not Require

Signing up is voluntary. As A.R.S. 36-3293 makes clear, skipping registration does not weaken your documents. Your directive is legally binding whether it is in the registry or in your filing cabinet.

That said, registration can be very helpful. If you arrive at a hospital unable to speak, the registry gives providers a fast way to find your wishes. Without it, providers must rely on family, attorneys, or paper copies.

The registry also covers mental health directives. You can store a mental health care power of attorney alongside your other advance directives.

The statute also exempts the registry from certain public health rules under Chapter 38. This reflects that a directives registry works differently from standard health data systems.