What is an advanced directive?

An advanced directive is fundamentally a patient's expressed wishes for their future medical care, particularly in situations where they may not be able to communicate those preferences themselves. This document allows individuals to outline their choices regarding medical treatment and interventions in advance, ensuring that their values and desires are respected when making healthcare decisions.

This is critical in scenarios such as end-of-life care, where patients may wish to refuse certain treatments or specify preferences for the types of care they do or do not want. The advanced directive serves as a guiding document for healthcare providers and family members, helping them honor the patient's autonomy and maintain compliance with their stated wishes.

Other choices could represent different aspects of medical documentation or agreements but do not capture the essence of what an advanced directive is meant to convey. For instance, a formal agreement between doctors does not relate to the individual patient's wishes, while a document outlining medical procedures or a legal document for organ donation focuses on specific actions rather than on the patient's overall healthcare preferences.