Let's talk about your Healthcare Power of Attorney and who makes smaller medical decisions for you when you are incapacitated.

Healthcare Power of Attorney allows you to designate a person to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you are unable to. This applies in situations where you may not be able to communicate your wishes or make an informed decision, such as loss of consciousness or incapacity. Choosing your Healthcare Power of Attorney is an important decision. Here are some important qualities you should consider:

• Who would make the best medical decisions on your behalf? Some of us have different skills and decision-making skills are not always someone’s strong suit. Consider who in your life has the capacity to make the best decisions. It also never hurts to consider those who have a medical background.
• Who will be able to make the best decisions under stress? Having a friend or family member in the hospital or in need of a Health Care Power of Attorney is stressful. Making medical decisions for that person is also really stressful. Make sure that whoever you choose makes good decisions under stress and often, under time constraints.
• Who can handle the emotional toll? Along with stress, there is an emotional factor in making crucial health decisions for someone else. For some people, that is an emotional burden that can have long term effects. For other people, that emotional toll is not nearly as devastating.

Once you have chosen your Healthcare Power of Attorney, and you have your living will, the third document that rounds out your healthcare documents is a HIPPA Authorization. The HIPPA Authorization grants a select group of individuals access to your medical records. This is a crucial component of your healthcare documents because it grants access to information that can help people making decisions on your behalf to make a well-informed decision on your behalf. Ready to take some action? We're here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about getting your Healthcare Power of Attorney set up.