A health care proxy is a legal document. You use it to name a person, called your proxy, to make medical decisions for you. It allows your proxy to make decisions if you become unable to decide or communicate your wishes for yourself.

Choosing a person to act as your proxy is an important decision. Be sure to pick someone who knows your wishes. You should be able to trust them to make the medical decisions that you would make for yourself. In thinking about who to choose, make sure that:

  • The person can make sound decisions
  • The person is not a member of your medical team
  • The person can be trusted to make the decisions that match your wishes and values
  • The person can be trusted to promote the care you want if there are disagreements about what type of treatments to give you

Medical emergencies can happen at any time. Some situations may require someone else to make decisions for you. It is very important for everyone to name a health care proxy.

That’s the way. Name your health care proxy today!