What is the term for directives that extend autonomy by specifying who makes decisions and under what conditions?

• A. Living Will
• B. Informed Consent
• C. Privacy
• D. Advanced Directives

Answer: (D)

Advanced directives extend a patient’s autonomy by naming who should decide for them and under what conditions those decisions should be made. They typically include designating a health care proxy (a durable power of attorney for health care) and providing instructions about desired treatments in different scenarios. A living will is a type of advanced directive that records treatment preferences but doesn’t always appoint a decision-maker. Informed consent focuses on obtaining agreement to a specific procedure with full information, not on who decides or under what conditions. Privacy deals with keeping information confidential. Therefore, the term that best fits the idea of specifying who makes decisions and the conditions is advanced directives.