How will a facility know if a surrogate named on a POST is patient appointed or physician appointed?
One should have a copy of the patient’s Advance Care Plan or Health Care Power of Attorney form which would have the name of the appointed agent. If these forms have not been signed, then the physician would have had to appoint the surrogate. Also, one could ask the question at time of admission to clarify the name of the individual if the name or signature on the form is not familiar. The form “Appointment of Surrogate” is available for facilities to use if a surrogate is being appointed by the designated physician. This form along with the POST form should accompany the patient if transferred between facilities.
Related Questions
- Can a physician appointed surrogate speak for the patient with regard to withholding artificial nutrition and hydration?
- Is there a relationship between physician and facility volumes of ambulatory procedures and patient outcomes?
- How will a facility know if a surrogate named on a POST is patient appointed or physician appointed?
