What is the health care proxy portion of an Advance Directive?
A health care proxy is a person who is authorized to make medical treatment decisions for you in the event that you are unable to make such decisions. Section II of Oklahoma’s Advance Directive allows you to appoint a health care proxy (such as your spouse or adult child) to make whatever medical treatment decisions you could make if you were able. You can also appoint an alternate (back-up) health care proxy to serve in the event your health care proxy is unable or unwilling to serve. Your physician is directed to follow the instructions of your health care proxy. While your health care proxy can make decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment and artificially administered food and water, such decisions must be in accord with your wishes on those subjects as you specify in the living will portion of your Advance Directive. Therefore it is important that you discuss these subjects in advance with your health care proxy and that you choose someone who supports your wishes as set fort
