Who chooses the health-care proxy?

• A. The judge
• B. The hospital administrator
• C. The doctor
• D. The patient

Answer: (D)

A health-care proxy is about deciding who will handle medical decisions when you can’t speak for yourself. The person who chooses the health-care proxy is you—the patient. You designate a trusted agent to make health-care choices on your behalf, choosing someone who will follow your values and stated wishes. This appointment is made while you’re competent, and you can revoke or change it as long as you’re able. The actual medical decisions are carried out by the chosen agent and the clinicians, not by a judge, hospital administrator, or doctor. Judges would only get involved if there’s no proxy or a dispute, but in normal circumstances the patient is the one who sets who will decide your care.