In California, three designations of persons may legally make health-care decisions for the patient: a surrogate, a court-appointed conservator, and a health-care agent named by the patient. Conservators and agents are named through formal proceedings or by a witnessed legal document and their authority lasts until they are replaced or become unavailable. In contrast, surrogates are referred to when there is no agent or conservator, and they may also be named orally by the patient by speaking to his/her supervising physician. The surrogate's authority lasts only as long as the patient stays in a health facility.

a person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others

a statutorily designated health care decider or an informally identified person, such as a close family member or friend

A person designated to make health care decisions for another individual if he or she is unable to make or communicate these decisions. A surrogate has the power to ask for or to refuse medical treatment on the patient's behalf.

A person appointed to act for another person.