Medical Center to promote advance care planning

  • Published
  • By By Maj. (Dr.) Dara Regn
  • Pulmonary/Critical Care/ Sleep Medicine
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Oh. --  The decisions individuals make regarding their healthcare preferences and treatment wishes at the end-of-life are extremely important. Gov. John Kasich has proclaimed Oct. 12-18 as Ohio Advance Directives Week or "Honoring Wishes Week."  

To help educate and empower its patient population, Wright-Patterson Medical Center will offer several educational opportunities on advance care planning, organ donation and hospice services Oct. 7-9.

End-of-life conversations are often uncomfortable for patients. As a result, though the majority of individuals believe their loved ones will make sure their end-of-life wishes will be met, the reality is less than 15 percent of individuals have ever discussed their end-of-life care wishes with anyone.  

To facilitate discussions about the kind of health care individuals want in their final phases of life and to assist in the completion of Ohio advance directive and healthcare power of attorney forms for when a patient can no longer speak for him or herself, the Wright-Patterson Medical Center will be offering an education station in the Medical Center Atrium on Oct. 7, 8 and 9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Staff will answer questions and offer assistance in the completion of the paperwork, which will then be uploaded into the patient's electronic   medical record. There will also be a Life Connections of Ohio organ donation education booth in the atrium as well.

An educational lecture by Kathy Smith, entitled, "Planning Ahead for Uncertain Times: Advance Care Planning," will cover the topics of advance directives, living wills, health care power of attorney and end-of-life care to include hospice care. Smith will speak on those topics on Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. in the Wright-Patterson Medical Center auditorium, and her presentation is open to the public.