[Guardianship law - what doctors and patients should know about the latest amendment].

With the latest amendment of the guardianship law the German legislator means to strengthen the patients' right of self-determination. The most significant new regulations are the introduction of mutual legal representation of married couples in emergency and changes restricting the guardian's legal position. New challenges for doctors and lawyers arise especially from the legal representation of married couples. General practitioners who advise their patients with the preparation of provision documents should particularly explain the importance of recordations in the central providing register (ZVR).