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Hemet Herald May 2019

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| Four Seasons Hemet Herald | May 2019 | 37 Question: What is the difference between Advance Care Planning and an Advance Directive? Perhaps one of the most difficult questions patients and families face is "which medical treatment is right for me?" The answer to this question depends upon the patient and his or her own goals, values, and preferences, and it cannot be accurately predicted by the clinician or the family. Clinicians bear the responsibility to help the patient explore treatment options and to help them formulate their preferences based upon a risk-benefit analysis and their own values whenever circumstances allow. Advance care planning (ACP) helps patients prepare for current and future decisions about their medical treatment and place of care. In an ideal ACP discussion, clinicians, the patient, and his or her loved ones think through particular approaches to follow if (or when) the patient's health declines. It has been suggested that the main focus for ACP should be on preparing the patient and surrogate decision makers to participate with clinicians in making the best possible "in the moment" decisions. Successful ACP programs not only ensure that doctors, patients, and families talk about future care, but also that the content of those conversations is documented in a fashion that travels with the patient as he or she moves across health care settings. ACP can include completion of an advance directive (AD) if patients wish to document their preferences for medical care and surrogate decision maker. There are various kinds of ADs, but the types typically recognized by State law in the United States are the Living Will (LW) and the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPAHC). Advance directives (ADs) are the documents a person completes while still in possession of decisional capacity about how treatment decisions should be made on her or his behalf in the event she or he loses the capacity to make such decisions. They are legal tools directing treatment decision making and/or appoint surrogate decision makers. It is important to remember that ADs are only acted upon when the patient has lost the ability to make decisions for himself. It is also important to remember that ADs can be revoked orally or in writing by the patient at any time (so long as he or she has maintained decisional capacity). For more information go to uptodate.com. If you need an Advance Directive please call me at the below phone number or you can down load it from your computer. Remember… you have the right to choose the hospice you want when the time comes. For any questions or a needs assessment please contact Jennifer Trebler-Partridge at (951) 663-1060. Ask a Question ADVANCE CARE PLANNING VS ADVANCE DIRECTIVE

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