Choose Your Healthcare Agent

One of the most important decisions you'll make when creating your advance directive is choosing your healthcare agent.

A healthcare agent is the person you trust to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you're ever unable to make or communicate those decisions yourself. This will be the person named in a document called the Power of Attorney for Healthcare. They communicate for you, working with your healthcare team to ensure the care you receive reflects your choices and values.

What Does a Healthcare Agent Do?

If needed, your healthcare agent can make the same healthcare decisions you would make for yourself. This may include decisions about tests, treatments, surgeries, life-support treatments, and care at the end of life. They can also communicate with your healthcare team and review your medical information so they can make informed decisions.

Your healthcare agent only acts when you're unable to make or communicate your own healthcare decisions. As long as you can make decisions for yourself, you remain in control.

Choosing the Right Person

Your healthcare agent doesn't need medical training. The most important quality is that they understand you and are willing to honor your decisions, even if they would make different choices for themselves.

Consider choosing someone who:

Knows you well and understands what's important to you.
Can remain calm and make thoughtful decisions under pressure.
Is comfortable asking questions and communicating with healthcare providers.
Will respect your choices, even if others disagree.
Is willing to take on this responsibility.

It's also a good idea to name at least one alternate healthcare agent in case your first choice isn't available when needed.

Choosing the right person as your healthcare agent

Have the Conversation

Choosing a healthcare agent begins with a conversation.

Talk with the person you've chosen before completing your advance directive. Share what matters most to you, discuss the kind of care you would or wouldn't want, and explain any personal, cultural, religious, or spiritual beliefs that may influence your healthcare decisions.

The more they understand your values, the more confident they'll be if they're ever asked to make decisions on your behalf.

Make Your Healthcare Agent Choice Official

Make It Official

Once you've chosen your healthcare agent and talked with them, you'll legally name them in your advance directive.

If you don't designate a healthcare agent, state law generally determines who may be asked to make healthcare decisions for you. That person may not be the one you would have chosen.

The next step is completing your living will, where you'll document your future end-of-life treatment choices.

Continue to: Your Living Will

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