A treatment directive contains a joint decision between a health professional (for example a general practitioner) and a patient or his representative(s) about the desirability of performing a certain treatment, such as resuscitation, before this treatment becomes (acute) necessary. When the need arises and the treatment cannot be discussed with the patient or representative (s), that decision is an important indication for the treating health professional (for example an ER doctor). The term treatment limit is a synonym of the term treatment directive.