Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 155 - Power of attorney for health care.
155.01 - Definitions.

155.01 Definitions. In this chapter:
(1g) “Advanced practice clinician” means any of the following:
(a) A psychologist.
(b) A registered nurse under ch. 441 who is currently certified as a nurse practitioner by a national certifying body approved by the board of nursing.
(c) A physician assistant licensed under ch. 448 who a physician responsible for overseeing the physician assistant's practice affirms is competent to conduct evaluations of the capacity of patients to manage health care decisions.
(1r) “Department" means the department of health services.
(2m) “Feeding tube" means a medical tube through which nutrition or hydration is administered into the vein, stomach, nose, mouth or other body opening of a declarant.
(3) “Health care" means any care, treatment, service or procedure to maintain, diagnose or treat an individual's physical or mental condition.
(4) “Health care agent" means an individual designated by a principal to make health care decisions on behalf of the principal or, if that individual is unable or unwilling to make those decisions, an alternate individual designated by the principal to do so.
(5) “Health care decision" means an informed decision in the exercise of the right to accept, maintain, discontinue or refuse health care.
(6) “Health care facility" means a facility, as defined in s. 647.01 (4), or any hospital, nursing home, community-based residential facility, county home, county infirmary, county hospital, county mental health center or other place licensed or approved by the department under s. 49.70, 49.71, 49.72, 50.02, 50.03, 50.35, 51.08 or 51.09 or a facility under s. 45.50, 51.05, 51.06, 233.40, 233.41, 233.42 or 252.10.
(7) “Health care provider" means a nurse licensed or permitted under ch. 441, a chiropractor licensed under ch. 446, a dentist licensed under ch. 447, a physician, physician assistant, perfusionist, podiatrist, physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, occupational therapist, occupational therapy assistant, or genetic counselor licensed under ch. 448, a naturopathic doctor licensed under ch. 466, a person practicing Christian Science treatment, an optometrist licensed under ch. 449, a psychologist who is licensed under ch. 455, who is exercising the temporary authorization to practice, as defined in s. 455.50 (2) (o), in this state, or who is practicing under the authority to practice interjurisdictional telepsychology, as defined in s. 455.50 (2) (b), a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who holds a compact privilege under subch. XI of ch. 448, an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant who holds a compact privilege under subch. XII of ch. 448, a partnership thereof, a corporation or limited liability company thereof that provides health care services, a cooperative health care association organized under s. 185.981 that directly provides services through salaried employees in its own facility, or a home health agency, as defined in s. 50.49 (1) (a).
NOTE: Sub. (7) is shown as affected eff. 5-1-23 by 2021 Wis. Acts 23 and 251 and as merged by the legislative reference bureau under s. 13.92 (2) (i). The cross-reference to subch. XI of ch. 448 was changed from subch. X of ch. 448 and the cross-reference to subch. XII of ch. 448 was changed from subch. XI of ch. 448 by the legislative reference bureau under s. 13.92 (1) (bm) 2. to reflect the renumbering under s. 13.92 (1) (bm) 2. of subchs. X and XI of ch. 448. Prior to 5-1-23, as affected by 2021 Wis. Acts 23, 123, 130, and 131 and as merged by the legislative reference bureau under s. 13.92 (2) (i), sub. (7) reads:
(8) “Incapacity" means the inability to receive and evaluate information effectively or to communicate decisions to such an extent that the individual lacks the capacity to manage his or her health care decisions.
(9) “Multipurpose senior center" means a facility that is the focal point for the delivery of services in a community to individuals aged 60 or older for purposes of the state plan under 42 USC 3027.
(10) “Power of attorney for health care" means the designation, by an individual, of another as his or her health care agent for the purpose of making health care decisions on his or her behalf if the individual cannot, due to incapacity.
(11) “Principal" means an individual who executes a power of attorney for health care.
(12) “Relative" means an individual related by blood within the 3rd degree of kinship as computed under s. 990.001 (16); a spouse, domestic partner under ch. 770, or an individual related to a spouse or domestic partner within the 3rd degree as so computed; and includes an individual in an adoptive relationship within the 3rd degree.
History: 1989 a. 200; 1991 a. 281; 1993 a. 27, 105, 112, 490; 1995 a. 27 ss. 4395, 9126 (19); 1997 a. 35, 67; 1999 a. 9, 180; 2001 a. 70, 89, 105; 2005 a. 22; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 28, 165; 2019 a. 90, 100; 2021 a. 22; 2021 a. 23 s. 71; 2021 a. 123, 130, 131, 251; s. 13.92 (1) (bm) 2.; s. 13.92 (2) (i).

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