Health care proxy

Health care proxy
A health care proxy is one form of advance medical directive. Advance medical directives pertain to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision-maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions on their own behalf. Advance directives generally fall into three categories: health care proxy, durable power of attorney, and living will. HEALTH CARE PROXY: This is a legal document in which an individual designates another person to make health care decisions if he or she is rendered incapable of making their wishes known. The health care proxy has, in essence, the same rights to request or refuse treatment that the individual would have if capable of making and communicating decisions. DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY: Individuals may draft legal documents providing power of attorney to others in the case of incapacitating medical condition. The durable power of attorney allows an individual to make bank transactions, sign Social Security checks, apply for disability, or simply write checks to pay the utility bill while an individual is medically incapacitated. LIVING WILL: This is a written document that specifies what types of medical treatment are desired. A living will can be very specific or very general. The most common statement in a living will is to the effect that: If I suffer an incurable, irreversible illness, disease, or condition and my attending physician determines that my condition is terminal, I direct that life-sustaining measures that would serve only to prolong my dying be withheld or discontinued. More specific living wills may include information regarding an individual’s desire for such services such as analgesia (pain relief), antibiotics, hydration, feeding, and the use of ventilators or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • health care proxy — A person named in a health care directive to make medical decisions for the person who signed the document, called the principal. A health care proxy may go by many other names, including agent, attorney in fact, or patient advocate. Category:… …   Law dictionary

  • Health care proxy — A health care proxy is a power of attorney that allows an agent to make health care decisions in the event that the primary individual is incapable of executing such decisions. [cite web|publisher=University of Miami School of… …   Wikipedia

  • Care proxy, health — A health care proxy is one form of advance medical directive. Advance medical directives pertain to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions… …   Medical dictionary

  • Proxy, health care — A health care proxy is one form of advance medical directive. Advance medical directives pertain to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions… …   Medical dictionary

  • Advance health care directive — Living Will redirects here. For the 2011 film starring Ryan Dunn, see Living Will. Wills, trusts …   Wikipedia

  • durable power of attorney for health care — A legal document that you can use to give someone permission to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. The person you name to represent you may be called your agent, attorney in fact, health care proxy …   Law dictionary

  • proxy — / präk sē/ n pl prox·ies [Middle English procucie, contraction of procuracie, from Anglo French, from Medieval Latin procuratia, alteration of Latin procuratio appointment of another as one s agent] 1: the act or practice of a person serving as… …   Law dictionary

  • Power-of-attorney for health-care decision-making — See: Proxy. health care …   Medical dictionary

  • health law — Introduction  the branch of law dealing with various aspects of health care, including the practices of caregivers and the rights of patients. Maintenance of professional standards History  Physicians historically have set their own standards of… …   Universalium

  • Proxy Directive — A legal document assigning the health care decisions of an individual to another in the event the individual is unable to make the decisions for themselves. If you as a capable individual wanted to assign your children the right to make all… …   Investment dictionary

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