POA - Medical Power of Attorney

A Medical Power of Attorney (Medical POA) is a legal document that grants someone, called the agent or attorney-in-fact, the authority to make health care decisions on behalf of another person, called the principal. This document is sometimes referred to as a Health Care Surrogate or Health Care Proxy and is commonly used in conjunction with a Living Will.

Example responsibilities outlined in the document include determining treatment options, medications, surgeries, and end-of-life care.

A Medical POA is an example of a scoped Power of Attorney and a type of Advanced Directive. Refer to the Power of Attorney entry for general information, including creation, termination, and effect criteria.