What is the primary purpose of advance directives in healthcare?

Advance directives are legal documents that express a person's preferences regarding medical treatment in situations where they may no longer be able to communicate their wishes, particularly at the end of life. The primary purpose of these directives is to ensure that an individual's choices about their healthcare and end-of-life care are known and respected by healthcare providers and family members.

Options that focus on treatment plans after a diagnosis or financial allocations do not capture the essential aspect of advance directives, which is to convey specific wishes about care preferences, such as the use of life-sustaining treatments or resuscitation efforts. While guiding healthcare providers on their legal responsibilities can be a component of overall healthcare regulations, it does not encompass the personal element that advance directives aim to address. Therefore, the focus on communicating a client’s wishes regarding end-of-life care accurately reflects the primary purpose of advance directives in the healthcare context.