Hulkower Adira, Garijo-Garde Sarah, Flicker Lauren S
The chief of the bioethics consultation service at Montefiore Medical Center and an assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
A neuroscience and behavior major at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.
AMA J Ethics. 2019 Jul 1;21(7):E575-581. doi: 10.1001/amajethics.2019.575.
Unrepresented patients (also referred to as unbefriended, patients alone, patients without proxy, or isolated patients) are among the most vulnerable persons entering the health care system. Legislation concerning these patients varies across the United States, resulting in disparities in care. For example, the statutory definition of who is unrepresented varies. In some states, clergy or close friends may act as surrogates; in other states, they cannot do so. Available end-of-life options also differ, creating significant disparities in end-of-life care for these patients.
无代表患者（也称为无人陪伴患者、独居患者、无代理人患者或孤立患者）是进入医疗保健系统的最弱势群体之一。美国各地关于这些患者的立法各不相同，导致了护理方面的差异。例如，关于谁是无代表患者的法定定义各不相同。在一些州，神职人员或密友可以充当代理人；而在其他州，他们则不能。现有的临终选择也有所不同，这给这些患者的临终护理带来了显著差异。
