Health Care Directive Vs Medical Power Of Attorney

Important differences mlt aikins a full service law firm with 240 lawyers serving western canada from offices in winnipeg regina saskatoon edmonton calgary vancouver.

Health care directive vs medical power of attorney.

Living will power of attorney and health care proxy. Medical power of attorney designates a person. A living will or instruction directive alerts medical professionals and your family to the treatments you want to receive or refuse. In some states this directive may also be called a durable power of attorney for health care or a health care proxy.

The term advance directives refers to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions on her or his own behalf. Advance directives generally fall into three categories. This is a written document that. As referenced above the medical power of attorney gives your agent the right to make medical and health care decisions for you.

Advance directives are legally binding and tell doctors what life extending measures you want taken or not taken if you are unable to communicate. A medical power of attorney will focus only on health related decisions and will be written according to the exact specifications of the individual making the directive. Power of attorney versus health care directive. The advance directive serves as a blue print to your preferred health decisions.

Enacting only a durable power of attorney may leave you at the behest of the decision making of your elected representative. As stated earlier the medical power of attorney takes effect when your attending physician certifies in writing that you are incapacitated and cannot make health care decisions for yourself. Clearly outline how the person charged with power of attorney is to proceed with your health care choices. A medical or health care power of attorney is a type of advance directive in which you name a person to make decisions for you when you are unable to do so.