subject: Is it really necessary to create a medical power of attorney? [print this page] Is it really necessary to create a medical power of attorney?
Not everyone is creating a document for setting up an agent to act as their medical power of attorney. It depends on each individual's interest and desire to appoint one agent or more agents as their power holder. However it cannot be said with full confidence that each one of us will live a healthy life during the last stages of our life. Also anything can happen to you anytime. There is chance you may be involved in a sudden accident or medical emergency.
When you become incompetent or mentally unstable to take decision then it becomes necessary for the family members to seek a guardian by approaching courts of law for taking medical decision. It may not be possible for your family and loved ones to approach the court at the time of difficulty. On such occasions, it may be painful event to seek some person who becomes your agent and the person may be totally unknown to you or your family members.
It is better to appoint an agent when you are mentally stable. He or she will act according to your wish when you become mentally incapable to take any decision about yourself. The medical power of attorney is a person who makes medical decisions for you when you are not able to make on your own. You may become unconscious or brain dead and may be you desire that you should not be put on artificial life support devices.
Sometimes it will be too late when your agent arrives and by that time you would already be placed in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is necessary to communicate your family members about your wishes in case of medical emergency and also handover them a copy of power document well in advance. This document should be placed along with your living will and other legal documents, so that it becomes easy for your doctor to act according to your wishes, rather than waiting for the medical power of attorney to arrive in the site.
In case you have not set up your agent then the family will be forced to go to court to appoint some person. You can be satisfied that even in case of medical emergency all your desires will be fulfilled by creating a power.
