Story perspectives
Courts Step In: Guardianship for Vulnerable Patients
10/21/2025
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Story summary
- Hospitals frequently seek court intervention to appoint guardians for critically ill patients who lack decision-making capacity, family, or advance directives.
- When a guardian is appointed, the patient becomes a ward of the state for medical and end-of-life decisions.
- This situation raises concerns about the autonomy and care of vulnerable individuals in healthcare settings.
