A Glossary of Health Care Terms

Patient Self-Determination Act – In effect since December 1991, this law requires caregivers to ask patients receiving government benefits – such as Medicare of Medicaid – if they understand their right to decline treatment and request a "do not resuscitate," or DNR, order.

DNR Order – A DNR allows a patient to decline extra-ordinary life-saving intervention – such as CPR. Generally, you don’t need to request a DNR in advance. Instead, you or your loved ones may have the opportunity to do so at the time of a specific health crisis or medical emergency.

Health Care Proxy – An individual empowered to act on your behalf when you aren’t able to make decisions for yourself due to serious injury or illness. If you fail to name a health care proxy in advance, the court may do so for you, with no guarantees that the individual may be someone you even know, let alone would have chosen for yourself.

Living Will – In use for several decades, this simple, often one-page document allows you to state what types of medical treatment you want to receive and under what circumstances. Unfortunately, its simplicity is often its undoing, as many caregivers report the living will to be vague or confusing, and tend to disregard it as a result.

Health Care Power of Attorney – Allows you to appoint an individual of your choosing to act as your "agent of fact" during a health crisis or medical emergency. Because it is "durable," it goes into effect when you become incapacitated, in contrast to a "general" power of attorney, which becomes invalid under those very circumstances.

Advanced Directive – The best of both worlds: the advanced directive is a combination living will and health care power of attorney. It provides you with the ability to dictate the terms under which you’ll receive various types of medical treatments, but also allows you to authorize someone to act on your behalf in times of medical crisis. It is endorsed by no less an august body than the AMA. To derive the greatest benefit from your advanced directive, be sure to consult your estate planning attorney for help in drafting this important document.