Health Care Directive Vs Medical Power Of Attorney

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.

Health care directive vs medical power of attorney.

Power of attorney versus health care directive. The advance directive serves as a blue print to your preferred health decisions. 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. Plus both health care directives aka living wills and health care powers of attorney are known as advance directives which only.

As referenced above the medical power of attorney gives your agent the right to make medical and health care decisions for you. Important differences mlt aikins a full service law firm with 240 lawyers serving western canada from offices in winnipeg regina saskatoon edmonton calgary vancouver. Advance directives generally fall into three categories. This is a written document that.

Advance directive is the general term that refers to the various documents that could include a living will instruction directive health care proxy or health care power of attorney. A hipaa authorization a health care directive and a health care power of attorney can easily be confused because all three have to do with your permission about your medical care and medical information. 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. Clearly outline how the person charged with power of attorney is to proceed with your health care choices.

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. Advance directives are legally binding and tell doctors what life extending measures you want taken or not taken if you are unable to communicate. Enacting only a durable power of attorney may leave you at the behest of the decision making of your elected representative. In some states this directive may also be called a durable power of attorney for health care or a health care proxy.