healthcare proxy
Medical decision surrogate
A healthcare proxy is a legal document designating someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to make them yourself.
The term also refers to the person so designated: My sister is my healthcare proxy.
Unlike a living will, which specifies particular wishes, a healthcare proxy grants decision-making authority to another person.
- power of attorneyLegal authority for another's decisions
- do not resuscitateOrder refusing emergency revival
- legal capacityAbility to hold rights
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- agentOne who acts independently
fiduciary duty · guardianship · informed consent · advocate · incapacity · medical directives · social worker · decide · durable power of attorney · family meeting · beneficence · wishes · patient rights · ICU · end-of-life · life support · legal document · hospital
- End-of-Lifeadvance directive, DNR, do not resuscitate, hospice, life support
- estate planningexecutor, trust, beneficiary, will, probate
- hospice carehospice, hospice care, hospice doctor, hospice aide, hospice volunteer
- medical lawmalpractice, medical liability, informed consent, medical licensing, medical negligence
- patient rightspatient rights, informed consent, patient advocacy, patient advocate, advance directive
- spousal rightsspousal rights, equal partnership, conjugal rights, divorce rights, inheritance rights
healthcare proxyself-determination
Control over one's fate
court-appointed guardian · personal autonomy · patient autonomy