| Advance directive |
Legal documents that can guide care when the patient is unable to engage in decision making |
| Living will |
Advance directives that specify the types of medical care acceptable vs. unacceptable to the patient if they cannot communicate at the end of life |
| Health care proxy (also referred to as durable power of attorney for health care) |
Identification and documentation of a health care agent by the patient |
| Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment/medical orders for life-sustaining treatment |
Orders signed by physicians (or advance practice providers in some states) that document patient preferences around specific treatments (e.g., code status, hospitalization, artificial nutrition/hydration) |
