directive to physicians

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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 updated in February of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]