When a health care surrogate is selected by the patient or appointed by a court, they have legal rights and obligations that impact your practice. Using real world examples, we will explore how interaction with a health care substitute can benefit the provider and result in the best patient outcomes and, conversely, how to handle a proxy who does not act in the best interests of the incarcerated individual. Learn how to recognize when your patient needs a surrogate and how to obtain one.

Educational Objectives:

Outline the legal principals underlying the right to make our own medical decisions

Explain the differences between health care surrogates who are selected by the patient versus appointed by a court

Discuss how to recognize when a patient needs a health care surrogate and how to obtain one

Level: Intermediate