Try: If you are listed as a health care agent or health care representative for someone else on their healthcare power of attorney it may be difficult for you to make medical decisions on their behalf when this becomes necessary here are a few guidelines to help you make informed decisions discover the facts by asking the healthcare providers the following questions what is the name of the care recipient recipient’s cr cr’s condition if you cannot be exact as to the condition what are the possible problems how can the symptoms be explained what is the progression and what happens with this condition disease how severe or advanced is the condition disease are additional tests required and if so will the outcome of the tests make any difference in the treatment if not is the test absolutely necessary what is the purpose and the risks involved in each test does the risk of the test outweigh the outcome research the options how will each option contribute to the cr cr’s improvement how would you define the success of this option is it what the cr would consider success will this improve the cr cr’s quality of life can the treatment procedure be done on a trial basis with an option for a reevaluation after an appropriate time can the treatment be stopped if agreed upon if the cr were to die how might this option affect the circumstance of the cr cr’s death would it require hospital or home care what option would you recommend why how would the care recipient make the decision if all of the facts and options were known if you know the cr cr’s wants or preferences beforehand follow them if you do not specifically know the cr cr’s wants and or preferences consider values religious and or cultural beliefs past decisions or past statements try to choose as the cr would have chosen if you have very little knowledge of what the cr would want then you and the physicians will need to make a decision based upon what would be reasonable and in the best interests of another patient in the same situation the benefits and the burdens of the treatment will need to be evaluated as to whether or not the treatment will cause pain or suffering or likely to make the cr better information references adapted from a guide for health care representatives – law office of monica doerr
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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Financial, Legal, Medical Physical, Spiritual, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision
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Keywords: Healthcare agent healthcare representative treatment procedures quality of life end of life
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed