2016 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 19a - Public Health and Well-Being
Chapter 368w - Removal of Life Support Systems
Section 19a-578 - Proof of living will document or document appointing health care representative. Physician to make documents and oral communications re health care and withdrawal of life support systems part of medical record.
(a) Any or all of the attesting witnesses to any living will document or any document appointing a health care representative may, at the request of the declarant, make and sign an affidavit before any officer authorized to administer oaths in or out of this state, stating such facts as they would be required to testify to in court to prove such living will. The affidavit shall be written on the living will document, or if that is impracticable, on some paper attached thereto. The sworn statement of any such witness so taken shall be accepted by a court of competent jurisdiction as if it had been taken before such court.
(b) A physician or other health care provider who is furnished with a copy of a written living will or appointment of health care representative shall make it a part of the declarant's medical record. A physician or other health care provider shall also record in the patient's medical record any oral communication concerning any aspect of the patient's health care, including the withholding or withdrawal of life support systems, made by the patient directly to the physician or other health care provider or to the patient's health care representative, legal guardian, conservator, next-of-kin or person designated in accordance with section 1-56r.
(P.A. 91-283, S. 7; P.A. 02-105, S. 8; P.A. 06-195, S. 69.)
History: P.A. 02-105 amended Subsec. (b) by adding a person designated by the patient in accordance with Sec. 1-56r to the list of those whose communications with the patient regarding his wishes must be recorded in the patient's medical record; P.A. 06-195 substituted “health care representative” for “health care agent” throughout, amended Subsec. (a) to authorize “a court of competent jurisdiction”, rather than “the Court of Probate”, to accept sworn statements of attesting witnesses to living will documents or documents appointing health care representatives and amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change for the purpose of gender neutrality.
