California Probate Code CHAPTER 1 - Short Title and Definitions

• Section 4600.
  This division may be cited as the Health Care Decisions Law.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658, Sec. 39. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative July 1,...
• Section 4603.
  Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions in this chapter govern the construction of this division.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658, Sec. 39....
• Section 4605.
  “Advance health care directive” or “advance directive” means either an individual health care instruction or a power of attorney for health care.(Added by Stats. 1999,...
• Section 4607.
  (a) “Agent” means an individual designated in a power of attorney for health care to make a health care decision for the principal, regardless of whether...
• Section 4609.
  “Capacity” means a person’s ability to understand the nature and consequences of a decision and to make and communicate a decision, and includes in the...
• Section 4611.
  “Community care facility” means a “community care facility” as defined in Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658, Sec....
• Section 4613.
  “Conservator” means a court-appointed conservator having authority to make a health care decision for a patient.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658, Sec. 39. Effective January...
• Section 4615.
  “Health care” means any care, treatment, service, or procedure to maintain, diagnose, or otherwise affect a patient’s physical or mental condition.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch....
• Section 4617.
  “Health care decision” means a decision made by a patient or the patient’s agent, conservator, or surrogate, regarding the patient’s health care, including the following:(a) Selection...
• Section 4619.
  “Health care institution” means an institution, facility, or agency licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by law to provide health care in the ordinary...
• Section 4621.
  “Health care provider” means an individual licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by the law of this state to provide health care in the...
• Section 4623.
  “Individual health care instruction” or “individual instruction” means a patient’s written or oral direction concerning a health care decision for the patient.(Added by Stats. 1999,...
• Section 4625.
  “Patient” means an adult whose health care is under consideration, and includes a principal under a power of attorney for health care and an adult...
• Section 4627.
  “Physician” means a physician and surgeon licensed by the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658,...
• Section 4629.
  “Power of attorney for health care” means a written instrument designating an agent to make health care decisions for the principal.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch....
• Section 4631.
  “Primary physician” means a physician designated by a patient or the patient’s agent, conservator, or surrogate, to have primary responsibility for the patient’s health care...
• Section 4633.
  “Principal” means an adult who executes a power of attorney for health care.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658, Sec. 39. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative...
• Section 4635.
  “Reasonably available” means readily able to be contacted without undue effort and willing and able to act in a timely manner considering the urgency of...
• Section 4637.
  “Residential care facility for the elderly” means a “residential care facility for the elderly” as defined in Section 1569.2 of the Health and Safety Code.(Added...
• Section 4639.
  “Skilled nursing facility” means a “skilled nursing facility” as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code.(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 658, Sec....
• Section 4641.
  “Supervising health care provider” means the primary physician or, if there is no primary physician or the primary physician is not reasonably available, the health...
• Section 4643.
  “Surrogate” means an adult, other than a patient’s agent or conservator, authorized under this division to make a health care decision for the patient.(Added by...

Last modified: October 22, 2018