Health Care Proxy Awareness
Medical Society issues an after Thanksgiving reminder
The Massachusetts Medical Society has issued its annual reminder for individuals to establish health care proxies, a simple, written document that ensures individuals will receive the type of care they want in the event they are unable to communicate their choices at the end of their lives.
The Medical Society has for several years recognized the day after Thanksgiving as Health Care Proxy Awareness Day in an effort to focus public attention on the issue. The Medical Society, which has long endorsed the concept that an individual be allowed to maintain control of his or her treatment at the end of their life or in the event of a disabling illness, believes that the holiday season presents an opportune time to discuss this important issue, as families and loved ones get together.
A health care proxy, also known as medical proxies or medical powers of attorney, is a document that designates a trusted relative or friend to make health care decisions for an individual if he or she is unable to make them for themselves. It is a legally binding instrument that allows for one's wishes to be carried out.
"End-of-life issues," said Kenneth R. Peelle, M.D., President of the Massachusetts Medical Society, "will reach every one of us at some time or other, either as a patient, a loved one, or family member. Everything we have studied, seen, and heard tells us we need to pay more attention to this.
"A health care proxy is a critical first step for an individual," Peelle added, "in that it ensures that a person's care will be consistent with his or her beliefs and values and that a person's final wishes are fulfilled. It's a simple step that can provide some peace of mind for families and loved ones in a difficult, emotional situation."
Completing a proxy takes four simple steps: (1) designate an individual as your health care agent; (2) establish your instructions, explaining exactly what you want (be as specific as possible) and putting it in writing (taking into account the possibility that you may not be competent to speak for yourself); (3) complete a health care proxy form, ensuring it is properly signed, dated, and validated by witnesses; and (4) distribute it to your physician, attorney, family members, and others whom you believe need to know. You should review your health care proxy annually to make sure it's up-to-date and to record any changes you wish to make.
Resources are available for consumers from the Medical Society and the Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care. To obtain an information packet on health care proxies, visit the Medical Society at www.healthcareproxy.org. To view the state's Resource Guide for End of Life Services, visit www.endoflifecommission.org.
The Massachusetts Medical Society, with some 18,600 physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society publishes The New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world's leading medical journals; the Journal Watch family of professional newsletters covering 11 specialties; and AIDS Clinical Care. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education for health care professionals throughout Massachusetts. Founded in 1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country. For more information, visit http://www.massmed.org.
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