Can't We Improve on Advance Directives?

  1. Kenneth J. Simcic, MD
  1. From the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229.

    TO THE EDITOR:

    In his perspective on advance directives, Perkins (1) states what many physicians have known or suspected for a long time: Advance directives are of little or no benefit in many, if not most, end-of-life situations. This is undoubtedly why so few physicians draft advance directives for themselves.

    I agree that we should not completely discard advance directives, because they do have value in at least 2 situations. The first is the …

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    1. Ann Intern Med March 4, 2008 vol. 148 no. 5 405
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