According to the Massachusetts Health Care Proxy Law, all adult patients 18 years of age and older have the right to make Advance Directives including a health care proxy. The health care proxy allows you to appoint an agent, usually the person you most trust, to make decisions about your health care should you, for any reason, be unable to make or communicate these decisions yourself. The person becomes your health care agent and has legal authority to make any health care decisions you would make, including those related to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, resuscitation orders, artificial means of supplying food or fluids or other life sustaining measures. The law also provides for you to name a second adult as an alternate proxy. It is wise to provide copies of your health care proxy form to both people who have agreed to make decisions on your behalf.
We strongly recommend that a health care proxy form be completed prior to admission. If you have a completed health care proxy, you will be asked to provide a copy to the hospital. If you would like more information about health care proxy please ask your a member of your health care team.
Click here to download and print a Health Care proxy form.
