Bookmark & ShareFor Immediate Release: 04/16/2008
Talk to your family about advance directives
The Health Care Authority (HCA) has joined a group of national, state and community organizations working to ensure all adults with decision-making capacity know how important it is to communicate and document their healthcare decisions, especially decisions for end of life care.
We have designated April 16 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) to raise awareness of the need to discuss the use of "Advance Directives" with your loved ones and healthcare provider.
What are they?
Advance directives come mainly in two forms:
- A "healthcare power of attorney" (or "proxy" or "agent" or "surrogate") names the person designated to voice your healthcare decisions if you cannot speak for yourself.
- "Living will" documents describe the kinds of medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life.
We encourage employees and enrollees to discuss with family members the benefits completing advance directives while they are in good health.
We also encourage health care providers to take the initiative and use their knowledge, experience and personal relationship with patients to introduce this sensitive topic and discuss related issues. We invite network facilities, governing bodies, ethics committees and facility clinical quality and patient safety offices to revisit their internal policies and guidance that encourage patients to complete advance directives and make a renewed effort to educate staff and patients.
Learn more
You can learn more about advance directives, and the national effort to raise awareness by visiting the NHDD website. If you wish to participate, visit the website and become a member. You will find educational materials and tools to organize your community.
You can learn more about the various issues surrounding Advance Directives by participating in an online seminar, or Webinar, "The Law, The Talk, and The Care."
The Webinar will focus on strategies that lawyers, physicians, social workers, nurses, and other professionals can use to help clients or patients and their families talk about advance planning.
There is a $20 registration fee per site. Multiple certificates for continuing education are included in the $20 fee. You can register and get continuing education information online. If you have questions about the webinar, please contact Amy Nolan at 804-775-7892.
Please direct questions about HCA's participation in National Healthcare Decision Day to Dr. Malcolm M. Dejnozka. Dr. Dejnozka is the Public Employees Health Plans' Medical Director and HCA's NHDD representative.
Thank you for spreading the word about National Healthcare Decision Day!
