| Medical power of attorney is a document which is duly | | | | individual's agent. The agent must possess a sound |
| signed by a competent adult also knows as principal. | | | | mind and should be capable of judgment. Health care |
| Here principal appoints another person whom he trusts | | | | providers also insist that agent should be close and |
| as a person who will take all decisions regarding his | | | | trusted by the primary individual. |
| health should there be for any reason unable to do so | | | | The agent gets empowered due to Medical power of |
| himself. The individual chose to act on the executor's | | | | attorney when a competent physician or doctor |
| behalf is known as agent. | | | | comes to the conclusion that the primary individual is |
| Once the document is ready, the primary person who | | | | not capable of taking decisions regarding his health |
| is the executor of the attorney continues to take | | | | anymore. The agent has power to sustain or even |
| decisions as long as he is fit to do so and should any | | | | remove the feeding tubes from the primary person, if |
| situation demands and he becomes incapable to take | | | | he is just alive because of these tubes only. |
| any decisions, then his agent is competent as per the | | | | The agent would take decision which would actually |
| medical power of attorney document to take all | | | | stem from the inherent knowledge of the patients own |
| decisions regarding his health and his treatment. Health | | | | desire in this matter. If the primary individual has made |
| care agents are allowed in about forty nine of the US | | | | his intentions clear, then these must be followed in the |
| states as well as also in the District of Columbia. | | | | letter and spirits despite any objections form the agent. |
| Though health care agents are in no way compulsory, | | | | Beyond this Medical power of attorney puts no |
| rather they facilitate the patients wish to be taken care | | | | limitations on the health care proxy as he can take |
| of in those cases where he is incapable to | | | | almost all the decisions in the way primary person |
| communicate them to the doctors and nurses. | | | | would have desired and take the action whatever he |
| Any person above the age of 18 can be a primary | | | | she thinks is better. |