26.02.2025
Unexpected situations can happen to anyone, regardless of age or health. A patient decree provides you with a written record setting out which medical treatments you would like to receive or refuse in an emergency, allowing you to exercise your self-determination. It also reduces the burden on your relatives in what would be a difficult time. But what exactly does the document regulate, and how does it differ from other precautionary documents?
A patient decree is an important document that provides clear guidance for all parties involved in unexpected medical emergencies. It helps you determine your preferences with regard to medical treatment and lets you exercise your right to self-determination, even if you are no longer capable of judgement.
It also provides doctors and your relatives with important information for making decisions. This can really ease the burden on your family members, as it is often hard for them to know how best to act in difficult situations for the person concerned.
A patient decree comes into play when somebody is no longer able to make decisions regarding their medical treatment due to illness or accident. In such cases, the document serves to exercise the will of the person concerned. The named representatives ensure that the preferences expressed are carried out.
A patient decree sets out which medical procedures will be carried out in an emergency if somebody is no longer capable of making decisions. This includes:
Other important subjects can also be regulated in addition to medical procedures, such as
The authorized representatives named in the patient decree assume various responsibilities, including
Note: the Swiss Medical Association (FMH) recommends reviewing your patient decree every two years and updating it by adding the new date and a new signature.
You can find templates for this for example on the Red Cross website at The link will open in a new window redcross.ch or get them from the The link will open in a new window Swiss Medical Association (FMH).
There is no obligation to keep a record of your patient decree. However, it should be easy for your family members to find in an emergency. It is therefore recommended to keep the original version in a safe, easily accessible location – at home, for example.
It is also a good idea to give a copy of your patient decree to your GP as well as your family members and/or neutral trusted persons. Leaving a note of its location in your wallet will ensure your decree can be found quickly in an emergency. There are also digital platforms where you can safely store your decree and access it easily.
Perhaps you already have an advance care directive? Did you know you can keep a record of this at the registry office? Even better: you can make a note there of where your patient decree is stored or even hand over a copy together with your advance care directive. In the event of an emergency, people will know where to look for your decree – an important safeguard for your preferences.
An advance care directive determines who is responsible for personal, financial or legal matters in the event of your incapacity to judgement. A living will determines which medical measures should be taken in such a situation.
A will determines what happens to a person’s estate following death, whereas a patient decree covers medical decisions if a person is incapable of making decisions for themselves.
An advance care file is a collection of various precautionary documents, including patient decrees. It differs from a patient decree in that it offers a comprehensive solution that also covers legal documents such as powers of attorney. It makes sense to create a general power of attorney together with a patient decree so that you are fully covered in any situation.
Married couples should ensure their medical preferences are expressed clearly and unambiguously. A detailed patient decree can help avoid misunderstandings, particularly if each partner has differing preferences.
Separation or divorce can have significant effects on existing precautionary documents such as patient decrees, healthcare proxies or advance directives specifying healthcare power of attorney. It is important to check these documents following a separation or divorce. They should be updated as necessary. This ensures that your documents are always in line with your current preferences and legal circumstances.
Cohabiting couples – that is, unmarried couples – are not automatically taken into consideration, unlike married partners and registered life partners. They must be clearly named in a patient decree in order to be able to make medical decisions in an emergency. A combination of a patient decree, healthcare proxy and advance directive specifying healthcare power of attorney along with a will if necessary is recommended to ensure the partner is legally covered in all areas.
Any adult capable of judgement can create a patient decree.
Yes. You can make changes to your patient decree or revoke it at any time.
In this case, relatives or legal representatives make decisions based on the presumed will of the affected person.
It is a good idea to create a patient decree in early adulthood.
