Because advance planning can save individuals grief, uncertainty and stress when faced with dire medical circumstances, Juan F. Luis Hospital will give free information on living wills and advance care planning this Friday.
The hospital joins many other national, state and local institutions promoting National Health Care Decisions Day in a massive effort to highlight the importance of health care planning. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, the hospital will provide free information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and health care providers, and help executing written advance directives, such as a healthcare power of attorney and living wills.
National Health Care Decisions Day (NHDD) was started two years ago to teach Americans the benefits of creating an advance directive, and to encourage health care providers to recommend them more often, according to NHDD. It chose the day after tax day because of the old adage that nothing is certain but death and taxes.
According to the national organization, a recent study suggests that increasing the number of cancer patients who have end-of-life discussions could save the United States over $75 million a year without compromising care. Yet, less than one-third of all adults have a living will or any kind of advance directive to make their health care wishes known in the event of catastrophe, according to the national organization.
If families take the opportunity to have thoughtful conversations about their health care decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known, they will save both grief and money, according to NHDD.
"Fewer families and health care providers will have to struggle with making difficult health care decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient, " said JFL official Royette Russell, in a statement. "And health care providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance health care planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes," she said.
Thousands of Americans are expected to sign living wills for the first time on Friday. Teams of doctors, nurses and lawyers will be on hand at more than 660 hospitals and other health care facilities nationwide, according to the NHDD website.
For more information about National Health Care Decision Day, visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.
