Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Oct 2023
[Provision planning at the end of life from a legal point of view].
In the event of the loss of the ability to give consent and thus the possibility of legally validating one's own will, the law regularly provides for a mandatory third-party representation for the patient. However, their design can be influenced preventively, for which purpose those affected are given three options. These options are: patient's decree, health Power of Attorney, guardianship order. ⋯ The written form of the advance directives forms an objective basis for mutual control of future decision-makers in the event of questions of interpretation. Absolute certainty that the current will of the patient corresponds to the future and that it is reliably determined and implemented in the decision-making situation is not possible. Nevertheless, the task is to come as close as possible to this ideal image in clinical reality.