Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-5

  • Attending physician: means the physician who has primary responsibility at the time of reference for the treatment and care of the patient. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-4
  • Health care: means any care, treatment, service or procedure to maintain, diagnose, treat or provide for the patient's physical or mental health or personal care. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-4
  • Health care agency: means an agency governing any type of health care, anatomical gift, autopsy or disposition of remains for and on behalf of a patient and refers, in either hard copy or electronic format, to the power of attorney or other written instrument defining the agency or the agency, itself, as appropriate to the context. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-4
  • Health care agent: means an individual at least 18 years old designated by the principal to make health care decisions of any type, including, but not limited to, anatomical gift, autopsy, or disposition of remains for and on behalf of the individual. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-4
  • Patient: means the principal or, if the agency governs health care for a minor child of the principal, then the child. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-4
  • provider: means the attending physician and any other person administering health care to the patient at the time of reference who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by law to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or the practice of a profession, including any person employed by or acting for any such authorized person. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 755 ILCS 45/4-4
     Neither the attending physician nor any other health care provider or health care professional may act as agent under a health care agency; however, a person who is not administering health care to the patient may act as health care agent for the patient even though the person is a physician or otherwise licensed, certified, authorized, or permitted by law to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or the practice of a profession.