What is a durable power of attorney for health care?

A durable power of attorney for health care is a document which allows you to authorize another person (called an agent) to act on your behalf in matters relating to your personal care, medical treatment, hospitalization, and health care. These powers include an authorization to require, withhold, or withdraw any type of medical treatment or procedure. This power of attorney is called “durable” because it continues to be effective (and in some cases can only be effective) upon your disability, incapacity or incompetency. Unlike a living will, which generally only applies to end-of-life decisions, a health care power of attorney may apply to a number of lesser, non-life threatening situations in which a medical care decision must be made.  more

Delaware's Advance Health Care Directive Form allows you to name another individual as an "agent" to make health care decisions for you if you become incapable of … more  more

A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a legally binding document in which you appoint an advocate to make medical decisions for you if you become unable to make them for yourself.  more

The durable power of attorney for health care is a document that allows you to name another person to make certain medical decisions for you if you are unable to make … more  more

A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a statutory form in Illinois and in most other states. This is the more important of the two advance medical directives in Illinois, the other of which is a Living Will. By signing this document you entrust the agent with the legal authority to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so or if you are unable to communicate your decisions. As with an Illinois Durable Power of Attorney for Property, agents may not be named to act in concert, but only in succession. The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care includes the right to make medical decisions, to withdraw life support, and to authorize the donation of vital organs. This document transfers the responsibility of withdrawing life support systems from the attending physician to the person designated as agent once the physician has determined that there is no hope of recovery. It lifts from the shoulders of the physician the potential liability for withdrawing life ...

A durable power of attorney for health care is a legal document that allows you, as the principal, to appoint an agent to make your health care decisions for you. You must be incapacitated and no longer capable of making your own health care decisions. Your attending physician must certify in writing that you lack the capacity to make your own health care decisions.

A "durable power of attorney for health care" is a legal document in which you name another person as your agent to make health care decisions for you. A durable power of attorney for health care is exactly the same as any other durable power of attorney except that it pertains only to your health care, not financial matters. You can include instructions about the types of medical treatments you want - or don’t want. The following are a few examples of the types of things you can include: Your personal goals, values and preferences; the types of medical treatment you would want - or don’t want; how you want your agent to make decisions; where you want to receive care; instructions about artificial nutrition and hydration; mental health treatments; organ donations; funeral arrangements; and whom you would like to have as a guardian or conservator of your person if one is to be appointed for you. You can be as general or as specific as you like, because it is your directive to your ...

A durable power of attorney for health care is a document in which you name another person to act as your agent to make your medical decisions should you become incapacitated. You can include instructions about which treatments you do or do not want. If you do not want artificial nutrition or hydration, New Hampshire law requires that you say so in your document.  more

A durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC) is another type of advance health care directive. The Principal designates someone (Health Care Agent) to have authority to make health care decisions on his or her behalf when the Principal is not capable of making such decisions. This document may also include specific instructions about the kind of health care that the Principal wants or does not want, including if and when life sustaining treatment should be provided. The DPAHC allows for more complete informed consent by both the Principal and the designated Health Care Agent. The Health Care Agent is better able than is a living will to account for advancements in medicine and to the changing circumstances of the Principal’s illness when making decisions on the Principal’s behalf.  more

This is an estate planning document where you appoint someone to make health care decisions for you in the event you become incapacitated for any reason. Thus, the appointed person will make all health care decisions for you, with the assistance from your physician, during your period of incapacity. This avoids the need of a formal conservatorship which can be a burdensome and expensive process overseen by the Probate Court. In this document you can also designate whether or not you want life support systems in the event you are in an irreversible comatose state.  more