directive to physicians
A directive to physicians and family (also called living wills , health care directives, and advance directives ) are legal mechanisms where an individual can choose to prevent medical personnel from using life sustaining treatments for life-threatening health situations. Directives also may transfer the authority of deciding whether or not to use life sustaining health treatments to another individual should the person become incapacitated . Sometimes, the directives can be broad, preventing any treatments after the onset of a terrible health condition, or the directive can relate to a specific condition that a person may be susceptible to, such as heart conditions.
The requirements for creating a legally recognized directive vary greatly from state to state. Some states require multiple witnesses to the signing of a directive, approval by a physician, a specific form, and sometimes even requiring the directive to be notarized . Others may even accept an oral directive. In all states, the person creating the directive may decide at any time to change their mind and receive medical treatment, and a person may make adjustments to the directive later which in some states will require following formal procedures.
[Last reviewed in February of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team ]
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