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.
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.
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).
