Health Care Proxies and End of Life Care
Health care proxies are legal documents, recognized in all 50 states, through which an agent or surrogate acts on behalf of the incapacitated patient to make treatment decisions.
INFORMATION
The Massachusetts Medical Society has partnered with Honoring Choices Massachusetts to provide clinicians and patients with up to date care planning information, documents and discussion guides. Every adult, 18 years and older, has the right to direct
their health care decisions and make a personal care plan.
Important Differences Between Health Care Proxies and Living Wills – Massachusetts law regarding health care proxies and living wills
TOOLS
Free and downloadable tools for early and effective clinician-patient discussions:
The
Getting Started Tool Kit: Make a plan. It's as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Appoint a Health Care Agent in a Health Care Proxy;
2. Tell your family and Agent what you want for care in a Personal Directive (Living Will)
3. Talk with your clinicians to align care to your goals, values and choices.
FORMS
Health
Care Proxy Form – English
Health
Care Proxy Form – Translated in 9 languages
- Español – Spanish
- Português – Portuguese
- ng Vit – Vietnamese
- Kreyòl Ayisyen – Haitian Creole
- Русский – Russian
- 繁體中文 – Traditional Chinese
- عربي – Arabic
- ភាសាខ្មែរ – Khmer
- Shqip - Albanian
Further Options - Health Care Proxy Information and Forms
Personal
Directive (Living Will)
MOLST- Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment
- Standardized forms and resources for physicians, hospitals and nursing homes to discuss, document and communicate treatment decisions of a patient at the end of life.
RESOURCES
