Healthcentric Advisors, in partnership with the Improving End-of-Life Care Coalition (a project of Rhode Island State Nurses Association), Care New England, Progreso Latino, and the RI Council of Churches, launched a multifaceted project to promote effective discussions between healthcare providers and their patients and families.

This partnership provides education and tools from the My Care, My Choice, My Voice campaign to assist these conversations. This process empowers people to (1) Think of what types of care they want; (2) Choose their healthcare preferences, their healthcare decision maker, and document their wishes; and (3) Voice their decisions to loved ones and healthcare providers.

Information for Patients, Veterans, Families, Caregivers, and the Faith Community

My Care

Think about your values, beliefs and wishes. How do these translate into future care? Take some time to think about the quality of life you wish to have.

You can choose your health care decision maker with a free advance care planning form (ex: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Veterans Affairs Advance Directive, or Catholic Health Care Directive for RI). Choosing a health care decision maker means selecting someone you trust to speak on your behalf if you cannot.

Your wishes are not set in stone. Sometimes, people’s views, beliefs and wishes may change – so can your advance care planning form. It’s also important to revisit this form to make sure your wishes are up-to-date.

My Choice

Once you have chosen your future care wishes and a health care decision maker, you are ready to complete your advance care planning form.

My Voice

Make sure everyone knows and understands your wishes. Share completed copies with your family, friends, doctors and caregivers. Keep an extra copy of your free form in an easily found location. Some keep it in a folder attached to the refrigerator, in their car, or purse/wallet.

It’s important to update this form on a regular basis. Make sure your wishes are in line with the form. Be sure to keep your advance directives up to date as your wishes change and be sure your provider and decision maker have the most up to date document.

Information for Health Care Providers

Have you spoken to your patients about advance care planning? You play an important role in helping your patients document their wishes.

Start the conversation today. Here are some suggested conversation starters:

What happens if you cannot speak for yourself?
Who will speak for you if you cannot?
How would you choose to live and be cared for in the future?
Have you ever written down your health care wishes?
Do your family members or loved ones know your health care wishes?

Care

Encourage your patients to identify their values, beliefs and wishes. Help them understand how those translate into their future care. Take the time to discuss their quality of life wishes.

Part of the free Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care form is choosing your health care decision maker. Discuss how to choose a health care decision maker – someone they trust to speak on your behalf if they cannot.

Wishes are not set in stone. Patient’s views, beliefs and wishes may change – so can their free Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care form. It’s also important to revisit this conversation with your patients to make sure their form lines up with their wishes.

Choice

You play a vital role in this process. Ensure patients have a clear understanding of their wishes and direct them to complete a free Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care form.

Voice

Make sure your patients know to share wishes with their family, friends, doctors and caregivers.

Instruct them to keep an extra copy of their free Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care form in an easily-found location. Tell them to keep a copy in a folder attached to the refrigerator. If an event should take place at their home, emergency personnel are familiar with looking at the refrigerator for important documents.

It’s important to revisit this form with your patients on a regular basis. Make sure their wishes are in line with their form.

Be sure to upload a copy of their completed advance care form to your electronic medical record (EMR).