A medical power of attorney (MPOA) is a legal document that allows you to name someone—called your healthcare agent or proxy—to make medical decisions for you if you become unable to communicate or make those decisions yourself. This person acts on your behalf to ensure your healthcare preferences are honored when you are incapacitated due to illness, injury, or unconsciousness.
When Is a MPOA Used?
The MPOA comes into play only when you cannot make or express your own medical choices. Common situations include severe illness, major surgery complications, or being in a coma. Until you are unable to communicate, you retain full control over your healthcare decisions.
The importance of filling out this form is that it protects you. Accidents and sudden illnesses happen at any age, and when they do, decisions may need to be made fast. An MPOA helps avoid family arguments, confusion, and delays in care. It makes sure your voice is still heard even if you cannot speak. Filling it out does not mean anything bad is going to happen, it just means you are being smart, prepared, and easing things for loved ones in the future.
Decisions an MPOA May Need to Make
Your MPOA may be asked to decide about treatments such as surgery, medications, life-support, resuscitation, tube feeding, or hospice care. They might also consent to or refuse procedures, choose doctors or facilities, and access your medical records to make informed choices according to your advance directives and stated wishes.
Considerations When Choosing an MPOA
When selecting a medical power of attorney, choose someone you trust to respect your values and wishes, even under stressful circumstances. They should be able to communicate clearly with medical staff, understand complex information, and advocate for your preferences. Consider their proximity, availability, and emotional ability to handle difficult decisions. It’s also important to discuss your wishes with them ahead of time to ensure they feel comfortable in the role and are prepared to act on your behalf. It may be appropriate to have multiple MPOAs designated.
It can be appropriate to designate more than one person as your Medical Power of Attorney (MPOA), but it’s important to understand how this arrangement works. Typically, you can name co-agents who share the authority to make medical decisions, or you can list them in order of priority—so that if the first person is unavailable or unwilling to act, the next person steps in. If you choose to have co-agents, you’ll need to specify whether they must act together (making decisions jointly) or if each can act independently. Joint decision-making can help ensure that choices reflect your wishes and provide checks and balances, but it may also slow down urgent decisions if the agents disagree. Listing agents in succession offers a clear backup if your primary agent cannot serve. When drafting your MPOA, you should clearly outline how you want your agents to work together and communicate your preferences to all involved parties.
Steps to successfully complete this form:
- Get the official form, you can download the Arizona Health Care Power of Attorney form here.
- Fill it out carefully and legibly, clearly listing your medical decision-maker and any alternative people you wish to add. Make sure you understand and agree to each section.
- Sign it in front of a qualified witness or have the form notarized. If using a witness, they must be an adult who isn’t your agent, not involved in your health care, not a blood relative, and not someone who inherits from you.
- Make copies once it is signed and notarized. Give copies to your named person(s), your doctor(s) or medical clinic/hospital you go to for care, and family members and loved ones so they know who you chose and where to find said document.
- (Optional) register it with the Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry, a searchable engine where providers can access your form when it is not immediately accessible.
Questions? The Ascension Hospice team is here to help!