---
title: ACP Basics | MyDirectives.care
description: Advance care planning ensures your healthcare wishes are respected. Reflect on your values, choose an agent, document choices, and share with loved ones.
---

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- [What Is ACP?](https://mydirectives.care/what-is-acp) 
    - [ACP Basics](https://mydirectives.care/what-is-acp/acp-basics)
    - [Why ACP Matters](https://mydirectives.care/what-is-acp/why-advance-care-planning-matters)
    - [Your ACP Documents](https://mydirectives.care/what-is-acp/your-advance-care-planning-documents)
    - [State Requirements](https://mydirectives.care/what-is-acp/state-requirements)
- [Getting Ready](https://mydirectives.care/getting-ready) 
    - [Start Here](https://mydirectives.care/getting-ready/start-here)
    - [What Matters Most](https://mydirectives.care/getting-ready/what-matters-most)
    - [Your Healthcare Agent](https://mydirectives.care/getting-ready/choose-your-healthcare-agent)
    - [Your Living Will](https://mydirectives.care/getting-ready/complete-your-living-will)
    - [Share Your Decisions](https://mydirectives.care/getting-ready/share-your-decisions)
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# ACP Basics

Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of thinking about the healthcare you would want if you were ever unable to make or communicate your own decisions.

ACP includes reflecting on what's important to you, choosing someone you trust to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if needed, talking with your loved ones about your decisions, and documenting those choices in an advance directive.

Together, these steps help ensure your healthcare decisions are available whenever and wherever they're needed.

![What Is Advance Care Planning?](https://mydirectives.care/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/Edited/3.1_hero-What-Is-Advance-Care-Planning.webp?width=600&height=640&name=3.1_hero-What-Is-Advance-Care-Planning.webp)

![Advance Care Planning](https://mydirectives.care/hubfs/MD_understand-your-ad.svg)

![Learn more about the four steps of advance care planning.](https://mydirectives.care/hs-fs/hubfs/3.1_learn-more-about-the-four-steps-of-advanced-care-planning-1.webp?width=1023&height=1092&name=3.1_learn-more-about-the-four-steps-of-advanced-care-planning-1.webp)

![MD_Blue-2](https://mydirectives.care/hubfs/MD_Blue-2.svg)

## The Four Steps of Advance Care Planning

ACP typically involves four important steps:

- **1. Reflect on what matters most to you.**  
  Think about your values, goals, beliefs, and what quality of life means to you.
- **2. Choose a healthcare agent.**  
  Select someone you trust to make healthcare decisions if you're ever unable to make or communicate those decisions yourself.
- **3. Document your choices.**  
  Document your healthcare decisions so your choices are recorded and can be made available when they're needed.
- **4. Share your decisions.**  
  Talk with your healthcare agent, loved ones, and healthcare providers, and make sure they know how to access your advance care planning documents when they're needed.

The goal is simple: to help ensure your healthcare decisions continue to reflect what's most important to you and are available when they're needed.

## Advance Care Planning Is a Process

Advance care planning isn't a single document or one-time conversation. As your life changes, you can review your healthcare decisions, update your advance directive, and continue conversations with the people who matter most.

The goal is simple: to help ensure your advance directive continues to reflect what's most important to you.

![Advance care planning is a process.](https://mydirectives.care/hs-fs/hubfs/3.1_advance-care-planning-is-a-process.webp?width=1023&height=1092&name=3.1_advance-care-planning-is-a-process.webp)

![MD_Blue-3-1](https://mydirectives.care/hubfs/MD_Blue-3-1.svg)

## Ready to make your healthcare decisions known?

###### Create a free MyDirectives account. 

 Create an advance directive or securely store and manage advance care planning documents you already have. 

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