Advance Health care Directives
An Advance Health Care Directive allows the principal to designate an agent to make healthcare decisions on their behalf. These decisions include choices such as:
Consent or refusal for any care, treatment, service, or procedure to maintain, diagnose, or might otherwise affect a physical or mental condition.
Select or discharge health care providers.
Approve or disapprove tests, surgical procedures, and medications.
Direct the provision, withholding, or withdrawal of artificial feeding and hydration tubes.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Donation of organs or tissue.
Authorization or denial of an autopsy.
Mortuary affairs.
The authority granted to the agent under an Advance Healthcare Directive typically becomes effective when the principal becomes incapacitated. Most people choose their spouse, child, friend, or other relative, to be named as the agent.