What are the Responsibilities of a Health Care Surrogate?

A health care surrogate is someone appointed to make healthcare decisions for you should you become incapacitated or unable to make them for yourself. When you appoint someone as your health care surrogate, be sure to inform them of this designation and make them aware of the responsibilities they may be faced with.

Any decision to give, withhold, or withdraw informed consent to any type of healthcare may become a responsibility for your health care surrogate if you become incapacitated. These include, but are not limited to:

• Medical and surgical treatments
• Life-prolonging interventions
• Organ donation
• Deciding where medical treatment will be received
• Psychiatric treatment
• Making decisions regarding end-of- life procedures
• Approving release of medical records
• Communicating with other loved ones or family members about your medical treatment

For inquiries in regard to this matter, please contact our office at: 941-906-1231 to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys.