Our health care professionals want to provide you with information and support to help you make sound decisions about your care. It is your right and your responsibility to take an active part in deciding your medical care. Doing so may be difficult for you if life-support systems are needed. Making such decisions may be stressful also for your family or loved ones.

Advanced Directives/Living Will

Formal medical durable power of attorney for health care documents are written in advance of an incapacitating illness in which you state your choices about treatment or name someone to make such choices about your treatment, if you are unable to do so. Through the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, you can make legally valid decisions about your future care, custody and medical treatment. A Living Will, although it may not have legal status, provides those acting for you with a clear statement of your wishes for medical treatment.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

The Michigan Legislature authorized the use of a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care in our state. By creating a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, you can appoint another individual to make decisions concerning your care, custody and medical treatment when you are unable to participate in those decisions. The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care ensures that your desire to accept or refuse medical treatment is honored when you are unable to participate in medical treatment decisions.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Questions and Answers

How does it work?

The creation of a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a simple matter. A person who wishes to create a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is called the Patient. The Patient appoints another individual to act as the Patient’s Advocate. To appoint an advocate, the Patient fills out a written document called a Designation of Patient Advocate Form and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

What does it do?

The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care provides many benefits for you and your family. When you are unable to participate in medical treatment decisions, a Patient Advocate is authorized to make any medical treatment decision that you could make on your own behalf, subject to the limitations set forth in your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and as limited by law. A Patient Advocate’s powers are not limited to decisions concerning medical treatment itself but also extend to any determination concerning your care and custody.

If You Become Incapacitated

Ordinarily, a joint decision about your medical care by your physician and your closest relative or person of your choice designated by you in a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care will be honored if you become unable to express your desires.

Where may I obtain an Advanced Directive Form?

The clerks in the Registration Department and at the desk in the main lobby can give you a copy of the Advanced Directive form. They also have copies of the Special Power of Attorney for Medical and Hospital Care for My Child form. This form is used by parents who will be away from their children for an extended period.