Advance Care Planning and Advance Directives
What is Advance Care Planning?
Advance Care Planning is a series of conversations to help you reflect upon and discuss your goals and wishes around future healthcare decisions. Advance Care Planning takes time and is best accomplished with your friends & loved ones present before you are ill or have a medical emergency. Advance Care Planning often results in the completion of Advance Directive documents.
What are Advance Directives?
Advance Directives are comprised of two legal documents including a Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney. A separate physician’s “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) order may accompany these documents.
Living Will: This document contains your written wishes for medical care, such as life-sustaining treatment and includes artificial/technologically supplied nutrition. The living will is only enacted when someone has a terminal condition or is in a permanently unconscious state, determined by two physicians.
Health Care Power Of Attorney: The purpose of this form is for an individual to be named your advocate in the event you are unable to make your own decision, even temporarily such as in an accident. This person should know how you feel about life-sustaining treatment and other important issues, such as artificial nutrition. This person does not manage anything related to your finances. First and second alternates may also be identified, in the event that the primary can’t be immediately reached.
Do Not Resuscitate/DNR: This is a separate physician’s order that is written after discussion with your physician and/or medical team. The DNR form is revocable, meaning that you may change your mind and request resuscitation at any time by speaking with your physician and having a new order written. While most people understand the form as “DNR or Full Code,” decisions regarding the level of intervention is required.
What You Need to Know
Now is a great time to be discussing your goals and wishes regarding your healthcare with your friends and loved ones. If Advance Directive documents are complete, have them readily accessible in the event of an emergency. It is recommended that copies be shared with your healthcare advocate, local hospital and doctor’s office. If using BVHS healthcare services, you can mail a copy to Blanchard Valley Health System by addressing it to the following:
Attn: Medical Records
1900 South Main Street
Findlay, OH 45840
Or patients may email their document to advancecareplanning@bvhealthsystem.org
How BVHS Can Help
Blanchard Valley Health System offers solutions for those who would like to engage in Advance Care Planning and/or completion of Advance Directive documents:
For assistance completing advance directive documents:
Download the appropriate forms here.
For assistance completing the documents, contact the Medical Social Worker at Bridge Home Health at 419.423.5351 and ask for assistance completing advance directives. At this time this service will be provided telephonically to maintain social distancing.
For in-depth Advance Care Planning conversations with a trained facilitator:
Please call Bridge Home Health at 419.423.5351 to be added to a waiting list and one of our associates will reach out to schedule an in-person conversation with an Advance Care Planning facilitator.