Medical Treatment Decision Maker Appointment

醫療治療決策人委任文件

What is a Medical Treatment Decision Maker?

什麼是醫療治療決策人？

A Medical Treatment Decision Maker is the person you choose to make medical treatment decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself.

醫療治療決策人，是指當您無法自行作出醫療決定時，由您預先指定代為作出醫療決定的人。

You only lose that ability if, at the relevant time, you do not have decision-making capacity—for example, because of serious illness, injury, unconsciousness, or advanced dementia.

只有當您在相關時間失去決策能力時，此安排才會生效，例如因嚴重疾病、受傷、失去意識或晚期認知障礙症等情況。

While you have capacity, you remain in charge of your own medical decisions.

只要您仍具決策能力，所有醫療決定仍由您本人作出。

What decisions can they make?

他們可以作出哪些決定？

Your Medical Treatment Decision Maker can consent to or refuse medical treatment on your behalf, based on:

您的醫療治療決策人可代表您同意或拒絕醫療治療，並根據以下因素作出決定：

• Your known wishes and values

  您的已知意願及價值觀
  

• Any Advance Care Directive you have made

  您已訂立之預設醫療指示（Advance Care Directive）
  

• What is legally permitted and clinically appropriate

  法律容許及臨床上合適之安排
  

Their role is not to decide what they want, but to decide what you would want, so far as that can be known.

其角色並非決定「他們想怎樣」，而是盡可能按照「您會希望怎樣」作出決定。

When does this appointment operate?

此委任何時生效？

This appointment only operates if and when you lose capacity to make a medical decision.

本委任只會於您失去作出醫療決定能力時生效。

It does not:

本委任不會：

• Give them authority while you can decide for yourself; or

  在您仍可自行作出決定時授予他們權力；或
  

• Allow them to interfere with ordinary medical discussions while you have capacity.

  在您仍具決策能力時干預一般醫療討論。
  

Doctors must assess capacity decision by decision. You may have capacity one day and not the next—or for some decisions but not others.

醫生須按每項決定評估您的決策能力。您可能今天具備決策能力，但明天沒有；或能作出某些決定，但不能作出其他決定。

Why is this important?

為何此安排重要？

Without a Medical Treatment Decision Maker:

如沒有委任醫療治療決策人：

• Doctors may have to default to a statutory hierarchy; or

  醫生可能需要依照法定順位決定由誰作出醫療決定；或
  

• Decisions may be delayed while authority is clarified.

  在確認決策權期間，醫療決定可能被延誤。
  

By appointing someone in advance, you:

透過預先委任決策人，您可以：

• Choose who speaks for you;

  選擇由誰代表您作出決定；
  

• Reduce uncertainty and conflict; and

  減少不確定性及爭議；以及
  

• Increase the likelihood that your wishes are respected in difficult moments.

  提高您意願在困難情況下被尊重的可能性。

How does this differ from an EPOA?

此文件與 EPOA 有何不同？

An EPOA deals with financial and personal matters.

EPOA（持久授權書）主要處理財務及個人事務。

A Medical Treatment Decision Maker appointment deals only with medical treatment decisions.

醫療治療決策人委任文件則只涉及醫療治療決定。

They are separate documents, with separate roles.

兩者屬不同文件，亦具有不同功能。

Can it be changed?

是否可以更改？

Yes. As long as you have decision-making capacity, you can revoke or change your appointment at any time.

可以。只要您仍具決策能力，您可隨時撤銷或更改本委任。