Pennsylvania § 5842 Duties of attending physician and mental health care provider

Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 5842 — Duties of attending physician and mental health care provider

Pennsylvania § 5842

Title 20DECEDENTS, ESTATES AND FIDUCIARIES

Ch. 58MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Subch.MENTAL HEALTH POWERS OF ATTORNEY

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Bluebook

20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5842 (2026).

Text

(a)Compliance with decisions of mental health care agent.--Subject to any limitation specified in a mental health power of attorney, an attending physician or mental health care provider shall comply with a mental health care decision made by a mental health care agent to the same extent as if the decision had been made by the principal.

(b)Mental health record.--

(1)An attending physician or mental health care provider who is given a mental health power of attorney shall arrange for the mental health power of attorney or a copy to be placed in the mental health record of the principal.

(2)An attending physician or mental health care provider to whom an amendment or revocation of a mental health power of attorney is communicated shall promptly enter the information in the mental hea

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(a) Compliance with decisions of mental health care agent.--Subject to any limitation specified in a mental health power of attorney, an attending physician or mental health care provider shall comply with a mental health care decision made by a mental health care agent to the same extent as if the decision had been made by the principal.

(b) Mental health record.--

(1) An attending physician or mental health care provider who is given a mental health power of attorney shall arrange for the mental health power of attorney or a copy to be placed in the mental health record of the principal.

(2) An attending physician or mental health care provider to whom an amendment or revocation of a mental health power of attorney is communicated shall promptly enter the information in the mental health record of the principal and maintain a copy if one is furnished.

(c) Record of determination.--An attending physician who determines that a principal is unable to make or has regained the capacity to make mental health treatment decisions or makes a determination that affects the authority of a mental health care agent shall enter the determination in the mental health record of the principal and, if possible, promptly inform the principal and any mental health care agent of the determination.