Which option is used if the patient cannot respond to questions?

• A. Proxy Response
• B. Code X
• C. Medical Record Documentation
• D. Code Y

Answer: (A)

When the patient cannot respond to questions, a proxy response is used. A proxy respondent—such as a spouse, family member, caregiver, or legal representative—answers on the patient’s behalf, based on what the patient would likely say or what is observed about the patient’s functioning. This keeps the assessment complete and accurate for planning and coding, even when the patient can’t participate directly. It’s important to note who the proxy is and why they are providing the information, and that the answers reflect the patient’s status as known by the proxy, not the interviewer’s assumptions. Other options don’t provide your standardized way to capture patient input through someone who knows the patient, so a proxy response is the appropriate choice.