Introduction to Your New Mexico Advance Health-Care Directive
This packet contains a legal document, the New Mexico Advance Health-Care Directive, that protects your right to refuse medical treatment you do not want, or to request treatment you do want, in the event you lose the ability to make decisions yourself. You may complete Part I, Part II, Part III, or any or all parts, depending on your advance-planning needs. You must complete Part IV.
Part I, Power of Attorney for Health Care, lets you name someone, called an “agent,” to make decisions about your health care—including decisions about life support—if you can no longer speak for yourself. The power of attorney for health care is especially useful because it appoints someone to speak for you any time you are unable to make your own health-care decisions, not only at the end of life.
Part I goes into effect when your doctor and one other qualified health professional determine that you no longer have the ability to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of proposed health care and you are unable to make and communicate an informed health-care decision.
If you want your Power of Attorney for Health Care to go into effect immediately, you may select that option under Part I.
Part II, Instructions for Health Care, functions as your state’s living will. It lets you state your wishes about health care in the event that you can no longer speak for yourself and:
a) you have an incurable or irreversible condition that will result in death within a relatively short time, or
b) you become unconscious and, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, will not regain consciousness, or
c) the likely risks and burdens of treatment would outweigh the expected benefits.
Part II also allows you to record your organ donation, pain relief, and other advance planning wishes.
Part II goes into effect when you have one of the conditions listed above and your doctor determines that you are no longer able to make or communicate health-care decisions.
Part III allows you to designate a primary health care practitioner.
Part IV contains the signature and witnessing provisions so that your document will be effective.