advance directive

noun

plural advance directives

: a legal document (such as a living will) signed by a competent person to provide guidance for medical and health care decisions (such as the termination of life support or organ donation) in the event the person becomes incompetent to make such decisions

… the American Medical Association estimates that 15 percent of the population has filled out some type of advance directive specifying what medical treatment they should be given if they are unable to offer guidance, or who will decide for them.

—Susan Moran

Advance directives and hospice care were developed to ensure patients' autonomy and to provide high-quality care at the end of life.

—Ezekiel J. Emanuel et al.

compare dnr, molst, polst

Examples of advance directive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Choosing to Live Your Own Way Winston Ndugu (Anthony Hill), Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) and Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane) treated a patient named Donna Mae, who didn't have an advance directive. —Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024

Levi, Winston and Jules struggled with a patient named Donna who didn’t have an advance directive — and didn’t want one, thank you very much. —Charlie Mason, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2024

Abby, please encourage your readers to make the time and make the effort to have an advance directive drawn up, whatever their desires may be. —Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

Prepare For Your Care is a free advance directive form that is legal in all states. —Carolyn McClanahan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

advance directive

noun

ad·​vance di·​rec·​tive əd-ˈvan(t)s-də-ˈrek-tiv, -dī- 

: a legal document (such as a living will) signed by a competent person to provide guidance for medical and health care decisions (such as the termination of life support or organ donation) in the event the person becomes incompetent to make such decisions compare dnr entry 2, molst, polst

Legal Definition

advance directive

noun

: a document (as a living will or health care power of attorney) in which a person expresses his or her wishes regarding medical treatment in the event of incapacity