Healthcare Decisions

Have you ever thought about what would happen if you suddenly became incapable of making your own health care decisions? Who would make the decisions for you? How would they be made? Patients who are capable of making their own health care decisions have the right to consent, to reject and to withdraw consent for medical procedures, treatments or interventions. They may say yes, no, or I will think about it. For patients who are incapable, someone else must make decisions for them. For many patients, this possible loss of control is a concern.

These concerns can be addressed by signing an advance directive - a document that sets out guidelines for your future care. A durable power of attorney for health care is a type of advance directive.

A durable power of attorney for health care is a document that you, the "principle," create by appointing another person, the health care "agent," or "attorney in fact," to make health care decisions for you should you become incapable of making them yourself.