Health Care Proxy
A Health Care Proxy form is a legal document that allows you to appoint someone to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself. By appointing a health care agent, you can make sure that health care providers follow your wishes. Your agent can only make decisions about artificial nutrition and hydration if they know your wishes from what you have said or what you have written. The Health Care Proxy form does not give your agent the power to make non-health care decisions for you, such as financial decisions. This form can also be used to document your wishes or instructions with regard to organ and/or tissue donation. You can give your agent instructions they have to follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you become unable, even temporarily, to make health care decisions for yourself, someone else must decide for you. Health care providers often look to family members for guidance. Family members may express what they think your wishes are related to a particular treatment.
Appointing an agent lets you control your medical treatment by allowing your agent to make health care decisions on your behalf as you would want them decided. It is an important decision when you choose the person to make health care decisions for you. It is important to select a person that will make the best decisions and it will avoid conflict or confusion among family members and/or significant others when decisions need to be made.
You may also appoint an alternate agent to take over if your first choice cannot make decisions for you.
No. Your health care agent will not be liable for health care decisions made in good faith on your behalf. Also, they cannot be held liable for costs of your care just because they are your agent. They are your appointed decision maker.