Advance directives -- like living wills and various powers of attorney related to healthcare -- are an opportunity to tell healthcare professionals and family members your end-of-life care preferences. If they don't have timely access to a living will or other advance directives, they may not know your wishes during an emergency.

Nevada's newly established Registry of Advance Directives, known as the Nevada Living Will Lockbox, ensures that your living will or similar document is securely stored and easily accessible by healthcare providers when needed.

The Living Will Lockbox is a secure, password-protected database, which stores advance directives in a common Web-based location. Access to documents is restricted to you as the person filing, others authorized by you (typically family members) and authorized healthcare providers.

"The Living Will Lockbox is about providing Nevadans with the assurance that their wishes regarding the course of their medical treatment will be protected," said Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller. "The Secretary of State's office manages the state's corporate filings and the statewide voter registration database, so we have the experience to maintain this type of secure Lockbox."

Use of the Living Will Lockbox is free to all Nevadans, and registering is very simple. You can go online to download registration forms, and send the completed forms and necessary documents to the Nevada Secretary of State.

You will then receive a wallet-sized card with your password for accessing your advance directives online. Changes to the documents may be made at any time through a simple procedure similar to the registration process.

For more information or to file your advance directives free of charge, please visit www.livingwilllockbox.com.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106