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Advanced Care Planning
Advanced Care Planning (ACP) is a critical process that supports individuals, especially seniors, in understanding and sharing their personal values, life goals, and preferences regarding future medical care. The goal of ACP is to ensure that people receive medical care that aligns with their desires, particularly in situations where they might not be able to communicate their wishes themselves. It's about making one's choices known ahead of time, reducing uncertainty for family members and healthcare providers alike.
Service Overview
ACP involves discussions with healthcare providers, family members, and sometimes legal representatives to document preferences for end-of-life care, including decisions about the use of life-sustaining treatments. This might involve completing documents such as a Living Will, Health Care Proxy, or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. These documents serve as a guide for healthcare providers and loved ones in making healthcare decisions that respect the patient's wishes.
For Patients
ACP empowers seniors to make informed decisions about their healthcare, ensuring that their preferences are understood and respected. It provides peace of mind, knowing that their values and wishes will guide future healthcare decisions, and it can reduce anxiety about the unknown, providing a sense of control over one’s healthcare journey.
For Providers
For providers, ACP facilitates a clear understanding of the patient's wishes, aiding in the alignment of care plans with those desires. It helps in avoiding unnecessary and potentially unwanted medical interventions, ensuring that the care provided is both ethically appropriate and aligned with the patient's values. This process also strengthens the patient-provider relationship through open, honest dialogue about sensitive topics.
How It Works
Open Discussions During Routine Visits
The ACP process begins with conversations, often initiated by healthcare providers during routine care visits or as part of annual wellness check-ups. These discussions encourage patients to think about their healthcare preferences in different scenarios, particularly in advanced illness or near the end of life.
Define Values & Consider Care Goals
Patients are guided through considering their values and goals, understanding their health status and prognosis, learning about possible future health choices, weighing options about the kind of care and treatment they would or would not want, and finally, communicating and documenting their preferences.
Complete Advance Directives or POLST
Healthcare providers can assist in documenting these preferences in an advanced directive or through orders like POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment), depending on the patient's health status and regional healthcare laws.
Engagement and Call to Action
Engaging in Advanced Care Planning is a gift to yourself and your loved ones. It's never too early to start these conversations. If you haven’t yet discussed your future healthcare preferences or completed an advanced directive, make an appointment with your healthcare provider to start the process. It’s a crucial step in ensuring your healthcare aligns with your wishes, giving you and your family peace of mind.
