The execution of a medical power of attorney form grants you the power to give authorization to someone to perform your medical wishes in case you are bedridden, you can’t communicate medical decisions yourself, or you don’t have the mental capacity to carry out such. It is a legal document that is made particularly for a medical emergency. The person that you will designate to ensure that your preferences will be fulfilled will have the legal right to implement them in your behalf. Thus, you should make sure that you only appoint someone that you truly and deeply trust to get your wishes done when a serious mishap takes place.

When choosing an agent or representative in your medical power of attorney form, you should recognize that this person will be in charge of making medical resolutions on your part when you become incapacitated. Officially, your agent is granted the legal authority to perform whatever he desires when your medical physician confirms in writing that you lack the ability to perform.

Lawfully, this legal document is not valuable unless you as the principal party signs and executes a disclosure statement that you thoroughly understand the terms of the form. Normally, the law in your state will necessitate you to have at least two witnesses to sign the document along with you to authenticate that you indeed read and understand what the form delineates. Additionally, the witnesses should not have any relation to your physician and is not your business partner.

The good thing about medical power of attorney form is that it is not only used to ask someone to act on your behalf but also to institute non-exclusive, additional means for you to carry out your right to withdraw, withhold, and furnish consent to medical procedures and treatments with the help of your agent. This right may incorporate mental health treatment when you don’t have the aptitude to communicate and understand health care concerns.

You are as well entitled to ask for a ‘do not resuscitate order’, wherein your agent will not permit the hospital to put you on life support. While most hospitals will not carry out resuscitations or intubations when these legal documents are present, they will still cure infections in your body, pump fluids and foods in your blood stream directly, utilize pain management, and give sufficient care and comfort.

Keep in mind that your health care power of attorney will not be legally accepted until you convene two vital requirements. You will need witnesses to sign the form and you should not fail to have it notarized by a notary public. At any time, you can revoke the medical power of attorney form by informing your health care provider and your agent in writing through a ‘revocation of power of attorney form’.

Tags: free download, samples