If you are incapacitated by an emergency, you will need someone to make decisions for your medical care. In order to have a trusted friend or family member act on your behalf concerning medical care, you will need to execute a healthcare power of attorney. This is a document that allows a trusted person to make decisions for you in the event you find yourself unable to communicate due to health reasons. This trusted person is considered your agent.
A good healthcare power of attorney document works hand-in-hand with a living will. In Ohio, your living will dictates how a power of attorney must act in certain situations. Therefore, it is wise to have your appointed agent review and understand your living will to ensure that any clarifications can be made ahead of time.
Your healthcare agent should be someone you trust and someone who is comfortable with following through with the directives you desire to create. This means that it should be someone who lives near you and can handle dealing with the opinions of others. Given that healthcare powers of attorney can be created years in advance, it is best to name a backup agent in the event your first choice is unavailable.
State law may prevent you from having your ideal choice be appointed as your agent. For example, if someone you know or their spouse works for your healthcare provider, they may be precluded from acting on your behalf. Likewise, if someone is already acting as an agent for multiple people, they may also be unable to act as your agent.
A healthcare power of attorney is one piece of a plan that can ensure that your desires and your wishes are known when you are unable to clearly communicate them. Putting together a comprehensive plan for care will allow all of those around you to act as closely to your directives as possible.