What is the difference between a Medical Power of Attorney and a Directive to Physicians?

A. A Medical Power of Attorney is a document that allows you to name an agent to make medical treatment decisions for you in accordance with your wishes if you are not able to do so yourself. A Directive to Physicians is a document that allows you to address what kind of medical treatment you would like to receive if you ever face a terminal or irreversible medical condition. It is often referred to as the document where you tell the doctors to "pull the plug." Most people request that all treatments other than those needed to keep them comfortable be discontinued or withheld so they can be allowed to die as gently as possible. The main difference between the two documents is that the Directive to Physicians is where you actually express your own specific preferences as to the use of life sustaining treatment, and the Medical Power of Attorney is where you name one or more persons to make most medical decisions for you. Within a Directive to Physicians, it is also possible to name an ...  more