2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 31 - HEALTH (§§ 31-1-1 — 31-54-4) › Chapter 32 - GEORGIA ADVANCE DIRECTIVE FOR HEALTH CARE ACT (§§ 31-32-1 — 31-32-14) › Section 31-32-10 - Immunity from liability or disciplinary action

(a)
Each health care provider, health care facility, and any other person who acts in good faith reliance on any direction or decision by the health care agent shall be protected and released to the same extent as though such person had interacted directly with the declarant as a fully competent person. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following specific provisions shall also govern, protect, and validate the acts of the health care agent and each such health care provider, health care facility, and any other person acting in good faith reliance on such direction or decision:
(1)
No such health care provider, health care facility, or person shall be subject to civil or criminal liability or discipline for unprofessional conduct solely for complying with any direction or decision by the health care agent, even if death or injury to the declarant ensues;
(2)
No such health care provider, health care facility, or person shall be subject to civil or criminal liability or discipline for unprofessional conduct solely for failure to comply with any direction or decision by the health care agent, as long as such health care provider, health care facility, or person promptly informs the health care agent of such health care provider's, health care facility's, or person's refusal or failure to comply with such direction or decision by the health care agent. The health care agent shall then be responsible for arranging the declarant's transfer to another health care provider. A health care provider who is unwilling to comply with the health care agent's decision shall continue to provide reasonably necessary consultation and care in connection with the pending transfer;
(3)
If the actions of a health care provider, health care facility, or person who fails to comply with any direction or decision by the health care agent are substantially in accord with reasonable medical standards at the time of reference and the provider cooperates in the transfer of the declarant pursuant to paragraph (2) of Code Section
31-32-8
, the health care provider, health care facility, or person shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability or discipline for unprofessional conduct for failure to comply with the advance directive for health care;
(4)
No health care agent who, in good faith, acts with due care for the benefit of the declarant and in accordance with the terms of an advance directive for health care, or who fails to act, shall be subject to civil or criminal liability for such action or inaction;
(5)
If the authority granted by an advance directive for health care is revoked under Code Section
31-32-6
, a person shall not be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liability for acting in good faith reliance upon such advance directive for health care unless such person had actual knowledge of the revocation; and
(6)
In the event a declarant has appointed a mental health care agent, no health care provider, health care facility, or person who relies in good faith on the direction of such mental health care agent shall be subject to civil or criminal liability or discipline for unprofessional conduct for complying with any direction or decision of such mental health care agent in the event the declarant's condition is subsequently determined to be a non-mental health care related condition.
(b)
No person shall be civilly liable for failing or refusing in good faith to effectuate the declarant's directions regarding the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures or the withholding or withdrawal of the provision of nourishment or hydration.
(c)
No physician or any person acting under a physician's direction and no health care facility or any agent or employee thereof who, acting in good faith in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, causes the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures or the withholding or withdrawal of the provision of nourishment or hydration from a declarant or who otherwise participates in good faith therein shall be subject to any civil or criminal liability or guilty of unprofessional conduct therefor.
(d)
No person who witnesses an advance directive for health care in good faith and in accordance with subsection (c) of Code Section
31-32-5
shall be civilly or criminally liable or guilty of unprofessional conduct for such action.
(e)
Any person who participates in the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures or the withholding or withdrawal of the provision of nourishment or hydration pursuant to an advance directive for health care and who has actual knowledge that such advance directive for health care has been properly revoked shall not have any civil or criminal immunity otherwise granted under this chapter for such conduct.
Amended by 2022 Ga. Laws 836,§ 2-14, eff. 7/1/2022.
Added by 2007 Ga. Laws 48,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2007.