For Patients & Families

Take time to name your health care proxy

A health care proxy is a person you trust who can speak for you if you cannot make medical decisions on your own. Everyone should have a health care proxy, not just those who may be dealing with an illness or injury.

To name your own health care proxy, you'll need to fill out and sign a health care proxy form, which is a simple legal document that allows you to name someone you trust as your health care proxy.

Choosing a health care proxy may help you decide in advance what health care decisions are most important to you, and may help spark a conversation with your loved ones about your values, your priorities, and what might be important to you in the event that you face serious injury or illness.

Get Started

By appointing a health care proxy, you can make sure health care providers follow your wishes.

• To get started, download Dana-Farber's Massachusetts health care proxy flyer and form, which includes the form and set of instructions.
• Download the Spanish version of the flyer and form.

If you need to change your health care proxy

You can cancel or change your health care proxy at any time by completing a new form and giving it to your health care provider. You can also restrict the decisions that your health care proxy can make for you. Read Dana-Farber's health care proxy flyer for more information.