The New York Health Care Proxy Law allows you to appoint someone you trust — for example, a family member or close friend — to make health care decisions for you if you lose the ability to make decisions yourself. By appointing a health care agent, you can make sure that health care providers follow your wishes.

Your agent can also decide how your wishes apply as your medical condition changes. Hospitals, doctors and other health care professionals must follow your agent's decisions as if they were your own. You may give the person you select as your health care agent as little or as much authority as you want. You may allow your agent to make all health care decisions or only certain ones. You may also give your agent instructions that he or she has to follow.

The Health Care Proxy  (New York State form) gives the person you choose as your agent the authority to make the health care decisions you deem appropriate.  This form can also be used to document your wishes or instructions with regard to organ and/or tissue donation.

Don't confuse a Health Care Proxy with a living will (New York State Form).  They are not the same thing.  A living will is a document that provides specific instructions about health care decisions. You may put such instructions on your Health Care Proxy form. The Health Care Proxy allows you to choose someone you trust to make health care decisions on your behalf. Unlike a living will, a Health Care Proxy does not require that you know in advance all the decisions that may arise. Instead, your health care agent can interpret your wishes as medical circumstances change and can make decisions you could not have known would have to be made.