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National Healthcare Decisions Day is set for Wednesday, April 16, 2008

On April 16th, Partners HealthCare System will participate in a massive effort to highlight the importance of advanced healthcare decision-making.  This is a national effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16, 2008 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).  The U.S. Senate has issued a proclamation in support of NHDD (Sen.Con.Res.73) and there is a concurrent bill in the House.  In addition, Governor Deval Patrick of MA has issued a state proclamation supporting NHDD in Massachusetts, where April 16th has also been named "Massachusetts Healthcare Proxy Day". Partners HealthCare is both a national participant and state sponsor of NHDD.

NHDD exists to remind all people, regardless of age or current health, the importance of making these health care decisions.  On April 16th, Partners HealthCare hospitals will welcome the public throughout the day by providing free information about advance care planning and advance directive forms. The public will have the opportunity to talk about your wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, to complete your advance directive, and to encourage all your loved ones to do the same. 

An advance directive is a legal document that tells healthcare providers who it is that you wish to make medical decisions for you and what treatments you would want or not want, if you are not able to tell us what you want.  Advance directives come in 2 main forms:

• A "healthcare power of attorney" (or "proxy" or "agent" or "surrogate") documents the person you select to be your voice for your healthcare decisions if you cannot speak for yourself.

• A "living will" documents what kinds of medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life.

On April 16th, you will have the chance to learn about what these documents are as well as information on any corresponding laws in Massachusetts.

At any Partners HealthCare hospital on that day, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, North Shore Medical Center, and Faulkner Hospital, look for communications about National Healthcare Decisions Day and staff wearing buttons saying, "As me about Advance Directives!" And remember, it is never too early for you to think about completing an advance directive, or at least to consider your own preferences surrounding end of life care, not only on April 16th but anytime convenient for you!

To learn more visit: www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org