Model Policy On Health Care Decisions
for Incapacitated Patients Without Surrogates
In 2001, a task force of the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) Bioethics Committee completed a Model Policy on Health Care Decisions for Incapacitated Patients Without Surrogates. The impetus was to develop mechanisms for medical decision-making on behalf of patients who lack decision-making capacity ("incapacitated") and also lack surrogate decision-makers ("unrepresented") in accordance with patients' best interests, while incorporating patients wishes and values (to the extent known).
The goal of the SCCMA Bioethics Committee Model Policy was to establish procedures to ensure transparent, consistent, and timely decision-making for incapacitated, unrepresented patients in a manner respectful of patients' dignity.
Click below to download a copy of the SCCMA Model Policy.
