§ 15-18.7-102 — Definitions

Colorado § 15-18.7-102

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 15: Probate,
• Art.: Directives Concerning Orders

Text

As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise
requires:

(1) Adult means a person eighteen years of age or older.

(2) Advance medical directive means a written instruction concerning
medical treatment decisions to be made on behalf of the adult who provided the
instruction in the event that he or she becomes incapacitated. An advance medical
directive includes, but need not be limited to:

(a) A medical durable power of attorney executed pursuant to section 15-14-506;

(b) A declaration executed pursuant to the Colorado Medical Treatment
Decision Act, article 18 of this title;

(c) A power of attorney granting medical treatment authority executed prior
to July 1, 1992, pursuant to section 15-14-501, as it existed prior to that date; or

(d) A CPR directive or declaration executed pursuant to article 18.6 of this
title.

(3) Artificial nutrition or hydration means:

(a) Nutrition or hydration supplied through a tube inserted into the stomach
or intestines; or

(b) Nutrients or fluids injected intravenously into the bloodstream.

(4) Authorized surrogate decision-maker means a guardian appointed
pursuant to article 14 of this title, an agent appointed pursuant to a medical durable
power of attorney, a proxy decision-maker for medical treatment decisions
appointed pursuant to article 18.5 of this title, or a similarly authorized surrogate,
as defined by the laws of another state, who is authorized to make medical
decisions for an individual who lacks decisional capacity.

(5) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR shall have the same meaning
as set forth in section 15-18.6-101 (1).

(6) CPR directive shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 15-18.6-101 (2).

(7) Decisional capacity means the ability to provide informed consent to or
refusal of medical treatment or the ability to make an informed health-care benefit
decision.

(8) Emergency medical service personnel means an emergency medical
service provider who is certified or licensed by the department of public health and
environment, created and existing under section 25-1-102, or an emergency medical
responder registered by the department of public health and environment in
accordance with section 25-3.5-1103.

(9) Health-care facility means a hospital, a hospice inpatient residence, a
nursing facility, a dialysis treatment facility, an assisted living residence, an entity
that provides home- and community-based services, a hospice or home health-care
agency, or another facility that provides or contracts to provide health-care
services, which facility is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by
law to provide medical treatment.

(10) Health-care provider means:

(a) A physician or other individual who provides medical treatment to an
adult and who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by law to
provide medical treatment or who is employed by or acting for such an authorized
person; or

(b) A health maintenance organization licensed and conducting business in
this state.

(11) Medical treatment means the provision, withholding, or withdrawal of
any:

(a) Health care;

(b) Medical procedure, including but not limited to surgery, CPR, and
artificial nutrition or hydration; or

(c) Service to maintain, diagnose, treat, or provide for a patient's physical or
mental health care.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2010: Entire article added, (HB 10-1122), ch. 279, p. 1276, � 1, effective August 11. L. 2012: (8) amended, (HB 12-1059), ch. 271, p. 1433, � 10, effective July 1; (8) amended, (HB 12-1283), ch. 240, p. 1131, � 38, effective July 1. L. 2019: IP and (8) amended, (SB 19-242), ch. 396, p. 3526, � 9, effective May 31; IP amended, (HB 19-1044), ch. 60, p. 211, � 3, effective August 2.