PCMS_Philadelphia_Medicine_Spring2018 - 19

p h i l a m e d s o c  .o rg

Quick Start Guide to Health Care Decision-Making
Who is the Pennsylvania Health Care Decision Maker?
Quick Start Guide
to Health
Care Decision-Making
(Who's
on First?)
© 2012 Robert B. Wolf, Esquire
Who
is the Pennsylvania
Health Care Decision Maker?
May be duplicated and distributed with attribution but not revised without consent of the author.
Not intended to take the place of legal (Who's
or medical advice
a specific patient situation for which appropriate
onforFirst?)
Professional guidance should be sought.

© 2012 Robert B. Wolf, Esquire
May be duplicated and distributed with attribution but not revised without consent of the author.
Competent Patient
Health
Care
Agent
Health
Guardian
Incompetent Patient
Not intended to take the place of legal or medical
adviceCare
for a specific patient situation
for which appropriate
Representative
Of
the
Person
Professional guidance should be sought.
Always in charge - can
In charge if patient has
In charge if (1) patient is an In charge if appointed by
A patient can override
override the decision of
Health Care Power of
adult (2) patient is
Orphans' Court Division.
Living Will at any time and
Competent Patient
Health Care Agent
Health Care
Guardian
Incompetent Patient
Health Care Agent or
Attorney and patient has
incompetent (3) there is no Subject to powers and
in any manner regardless of
Representative
Of the Person
purported Health Care
become incapacitated or if
Health Care Power of
limitation in Order of
physical or mental
Always in charge - can
In charge if patient has
In charge if (1) patient is an In charge if appointed by
A patient can override
Representative
patient has "sprung" the
Attorney or Agent is unable Appointment
condition §5444(a). A
override the decision of
Health Care Power of
adult (2) patient is
Orphans' Court Division.
Living Will at any time and
Health Care Power of
or unwilling to act (4)
§5461(a)(3)
patient can countermand
Health Care Agent or
Attorney and patient has
incompetent (3) there is no Subject to powers and
in any manner regardless of
Attorney if allowed by
Guardian of Person to make
decision of Health Care
purported Health Care
become incapacitated or if
Health Care Power of
limitation in Order of
physical or mental
Health Care Power of
health care decisions not
Agent to withhold or
Representative
patient has "sprung" the
Attorney or Agent is unable Appointment
condition §5444(a). A
Attorney document
appointed
withdraw life sustaining
Health Care Power of
or unwilling to act (4)
§5461(a)(3)
patient can countermand
§5454(a)
§5461(a)
treatment regardless of
Attorney if allowed by
Guardian of Person to make
decision of Health Care
physical or mental
Health Care Power of
health care decisions not
Agent to withhold or
condition
Attorney document
appointed
withdraw life sustaining
§5457(b)
§5454(a)
§5461(a)
treatment regardless of
physical or mental
Table 1: Quick Start Guide to Health Care Decision-Making
condition
§5457(b)

National POLST Paradigm Programs
www.polst.org

*As of June 2017

Mature Programs
Endorsed Programs
Regionally Endorsed Program
Developing Programs
No Program

Programs That Do Not Conform to POLST
Requirements

Insert 1: Map_National POLST Paradigm Programs Jun2017
Spring 2018 : Philadelphia Medicine 19
https://philamedsoc.org/ http://www.polst.org
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