Care Management (OCM)
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Care Management (OCM)

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Advance Care Planning

Now more than ever, modern medicine is able to save and prolong lives for many people. However, there are times when certain treatments will not prolong life or improve the quality of your life.

The best medical decisions result when you share your own personal beliefs and wishes with your physicians, nurses, and other clinicians, as well as family and friends.

Advance care planning is the process of planning ahead for medical care in the event you are unable to communicate your wishes to your family and healthcare providers. It involves at least two parts: 

  • Discussing your values and wishes for care with family and healthcare providers
  • Recording these wishes in documents called advance directives

The purpose of an advance directive is to provide information about your beliefs and wishes when you are unable to do this for yourself. The best time to make healthcare decisions is before you are ill, when you can carefully consider your options.

The following sections provide information about these important documents and answer some commonly asked questions: