Good representation

It’s important that healthcare providers discuss the matter of who should represent the patient (or who will do so in the event of their future legal incompetence). This can be either a family member (default surrogate) or someone else designated by the patient (patient-designated ). Alternatively, the representative could be appointed by a judge: a guardian. In practice, the scope of a surrogate ’s powers is often unclear and poor communication is identified as a stumbling block. The Committee advises professional organisations and patient associations to draw up a guideline that healthcare providers, representatives and patients can use when discussing their respective expectations.