Who Should I Choose as My Healthcare Agent?

An advanced healthcare directive is a legal document you may establish when you are a competent adult, in preparation for an unfortunate yet possible event in which you are no longer mentally sound. With this, you appoint a trusted, third-party individual, otherwise known as a healthcare agent, to step in and make medical decisions on your behalf should this time ever come. Obviously, this is a role that you must fill wisely. Without further ado, please follow along to find out who to choose as your healthcare agent and how a proficient Putnam County advance healthcare directive attorney at the Law Office of Andres D. Gil, PLLC, can work to ensure this is the right pick.

Who should I choose to serve as my healthcare agent?

Your healthcare agent should be someone whom you can trust as a human being, first and foremost. But this trust must extend to them being able to carry out your wishes regardless of their personal values or religious beliefs. For example, this individual must be able to respect your Don’t Attempt Resuscitation Order and make the decision to refuse decision to refuse such in the event of your cardiac arrest. Contrastingly, this individual must proceed forward with approving your continuous dialysis treatments even if your family members start to express their personal opinions that it is causing you more damage than benefits. In short, they must be able to serve as your fearless advocate in standing up for your rights and wishes at a time when you cannot vouch for yourself.

What if the appointed individual can no longer serve in this role?

In addition to being trustworthy, your healthcare agent should also be someone who lives locally or can otherwise be reached easily in an emergency. If they are not, then it is in your best interest to also name a successor agent in your advance healthcare directive who is. This is because, if your primary agent is not reasonably available to serve, your successor agent may step in to give the treating medical professional their medical decision. The same goes if your primary agent is deemed not reasonably willing or competent enough to serve in this role any longer.

However, say you do not have an appointed successor agent in this instance. Well then, the treating medical professional may have to refer to the instruction set out in your advance healthcare directive by themself. And so, you should always share an updated version of this legal document with your doctors. If they cannot locate it on time, and there is no agent to act, they may make a medical decision based on what they believe to be in your best interests.

Before this gets too much, please seek the guidance and counsel of a talented estate planning attorney in Putnam County from the Law Office of Andres D. Gil, PLLC. We will work to the best of our ability to minimize or eliminate this mess from your immediate worry.