Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open
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Advance directives are documents to convey patients' preferences in the event they are unable to communicate them. Patients commonly present to the emergency department near the end of life. ⋯ Pitfalls to use of advance directives include confusion regarding the documents themselves, their availability, their accuracy, and agreement between documentation and stated bedside wishes on the part of the patient and family members. Limitations of the documents, as well as approaches to addressing discrepant goals of care, are discussed.