Which statement best describes an advance directive?

• A. A legal document that delineates a patient's wishes for future medical care or no medical care, and may include living wills and Durable Power of Attorney
• B. A contract that binds a patient to pay for future medical services
• C. A document used only after a patient's death
• D. A physician's order form for immediate care

Answer: (A)

An advance directive is a legal document that records a person’s preferences for medical treatment if they later become unable to communicate those wishes. It helps guide decisions when the patient can’t speak for themselves and often names a health care proxy to make decisions on their behalf. It commonly includes a living will, which spells out what treatments the person does or doesn’t want (such as resuscitation or life-sustaining measures), and a durable power of attorney for health care, which designates who can make medical choices for them. This document is about future care while the person is still alive, not a contract to pay for services, not something used only after death, and not simply a physician’s order form for immediate care.