What should healthcare providers do if a patient lacks capacity to make decisions?

When a patient lacks the capacity to make their own healthcare decisions, it is crucial for healthcare providers to engage with the designated healthcare proxy or next of kin. This approach allows for a decision-making process that respects the patient’s preferences and values as expressed in advance directives or communicated to those close to them.

Consulting the healthcare proxy or next of kin ensures that decisions are made in the best interest of the patient and align with their known wishes, maintaining the integrity of patient autonomy even in the absence of decision-making capacity. This collaboration is not only ethically sound but also often aligns with legal requirements regarding consent and medical decision-making.

Making decisions independently or denying treatment until the patient is capable can lead to ethical dilemmas and could jeopardize the patient’s health and wellbeing. Referring only to legal documents may neglect the practical aspects of patient preferences that can best be conveyed through discussions with family or appointed proxies. Therefore, engaging the healthcare proxy or next of kin is the most appropriate course of action when faced with a patient lacking decisional capacity.