Advanced Care Planning
Advance Care Planning (ACP) is a process that allows individuals to articulate their preferences and values for future medical treatments. It can enhance quality of life, reduce anxiety among loved ones, and minimize unnecessary medical interventions and costs. However, despite its benefits to patients and healthcare systems, the adoption of ACP is often low. This is primarily due to individuals delaying crucial decisions until a medical emergency occurs, at which point it may be too late to express their wishes. To prevent this, it’s recommended to plan ahead and discuss various treatment options with healthcare professionals and family members.
POM ACO has compiled a collection of resources to assist in this decision-making process:
1. MiHIN (Michigan Health Information Network): This is a network that’s leading efforts to understand the current state of information and data flow to support serious illness care. They’ve developed a centralized location for storing and retrieving Advance Directive documents.
2. ACP Michigan: This is a network of individuals and organizations working to provide and expand Advance Care Planning services in their communities. They offer education and guidance for implementing Advance Care Planning.
3. AARP: They offer a variety of resources, including free Advance Directive forms for each state, an End-of-Life Planning Resource Center, and a checklist from the National Institute on Aging for preparing future documents and guiding Advance Care Planning.
4. Michigan State Medical Society: They provide information on various aspects of life-sustaining treatment and advance directives, including Physician’s Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST), Respecting Choices, Making Choices Michigan, and the legally recognized advance directives in Michigan: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA) and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR).
5. Aging with Dignity: Promotes the right of every individual to age with dignity. Offers Five Wishes Program which is an easy-to-use advance care planning tool available in 30 languages and in Braille.
Advance care planning is a forward-thinking strategy that guarantees your healthcare choices are comprehended and honored. This approach empowers you to make knowledgeable choices that resonate with your preferences, offering peace of mind for you and your family. If you require help, think about including a reliable family member or consulting with medical experts. A great time to talk about Advance care planning with your physician or another medical professional is during your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.
Supplementary resources from your affiliated Provider Organization are available via the links below.
University of Michigan Sparrow
University of Michigan Health-West