Episcopal Health Services respects the right of each patient to make voluntary informed choices concerning their medical care and advance directives. An advance directive can include a health care proxy, living will, Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST), or Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Order.
An advance directive is an effective way of maintaining control over your medical care if you become unable to make decisions. Patients have the right to choose any healthcare surrogate regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Patients can appoint an unmarried partner of the same or opposite sex as their healthcare representative. We encourage you to discuss issues concerning your medical care with your family, friends, physicians, and other healthcare providers.
Episcopal Health Services complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Episcopal Health Services does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. For individuals who may be identified or diagnosed as intellectually or developmentally disabled (or neurodivergent), it is equally important to initiate the advance care planning process for those who are 18 years of age and older. The first step is to determine the capacity or ability of the person with developmental/intellectual disabilities to choose who they trust to make health care decisions. If the person can choose a healthcare agent, the individual can complete a healthcare proxy form. If a person with developmental/intellectual disabilities cannot choose a healthcare agent, guardianship can be initiated, with the authority to make medical decisions, including decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment.
Healthcare Agents
Who do you want to make your health care decisions for you?
Do you have a person in mind, such as your partner, a close friend, or your doctor? The person you choose to make these decisions for you is your healthcare agent (That person may be called something else in your state). In some states, the doctor who’s treating you can’t be your healthcare agent or the person can also be referred to as a healthcare proxy or healthcare surrogate.
When choosing a healthcare proxy, it may be helpful to ask yourself these questions:
- Can you talk to this person about the kinds of treatments you do or don’t want to have?
- Does this put too much pressure on the person to make decisions for you? Do you think that this person will be able to do what you ask?
For more information about Health Care Proxy and Advance Directives, click on the following links: