Sec. 30. Reliance on authority of surrogate decision maker.
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Sec. 30. Reliance on authority of surrogate decision maker.
(a)Every health care provider and other person (a "reliant") shall have the right to rely on any decision or direction by the surrogate decision maker (the "surrogate") that is not clearly contrary to this Act, to the same extent and with the same effect as though the decision or direction had been made or given by a patient with decisional capacity. Any person dealing with the surrogate may presume in the absence of actual knowledge to the contrary that the acts of the surrogate conform to the provisions of this Act. A reliant will not be protected who has actual knowledge that the surrogate is not entitled to act or that any particular action or inaction is contrary to the provisions of this Act.
(b)A health care provider (a "provider") who relies on and carries out a surrogate's directions and who acts with due care and in accordance with this Act shall not be subject to any claim based on lack of patient consent or to criminal prosecution or discipline for unprofessional conduct. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to protect a provider from liability for the provider's own negligence in the performance of the provider's duties or in carrying out any instructions of the surrogate, and nothing in this Act shall be deemed to alter the law of negligence as it applies to the acts of any surrogate or provider.
(c)A surrogate who acts or fails to act with due care and in accordance with the provisions of this Act shall not be subject to criminal prosecution or any claim based upon lack of surrogate authority or failure to act. The surrogate shall not be liable merely because the surrogate may benefit from the act, has individual or conflicting interests in relation to the care and affairs of the patient, or acts in a different manner with respect to the patient and the surrogate's own care or interests.