End-of-life planning involves some thought and effort, such as completing advance directives. In addition to talking about your wishes with your family members, you should also talk with your doctor. Most doctors welcome the chance to discuss such issues but may be hesitant to raise the topic.
We need more doctor-patient discussion in this area. As many as three-quarters of physicians whose patients had advance directives were unaware that those documents existed, according to research. And only 12 percent of patients with advance directives had received input from their doctor.
Discussing these matters increases the likelihood of getting your wishes met. Patients who are dying and family members who survive them say that lack of communication with doctors causes confusion about medical treatments, conditions, and choices that need to be made.
AHRQ-funded studies show that conversations with doctors about advance care planning led to increased satisfaction among patients age 65 years and older. Patients who talked with their families or physicians about their preferences for end-of-life care:
- Had less fear and anxiety.
- Felt they had more ability to influence and direct their medical care.
- Believed that their physicians had a better understanding of their wishes.
- Indicated a greater understanding and comfort level than they had before the discussion.
Yesterday, Google Health announced that they are making advance directive forms available with state-specific directions. You can find the forms by creating a Google Health account here.
Google Health made available "advance directive" forms on which people can specify what they want doctors to do or not do in the event they are too ill or injured to express their wishes.
Forms created with collaboration from an organization specializing in elder care are available free for download online and can be customized to the laws in US states, according to Roni Zeiger and Julie Wilner of the Google Health team.
"An advance directive allows you to determine your end-of-life wishes so that your family and doctor can honor them if you get sick and are unable to communicate," Wilner and Zeiger said in a message at Google's official blog.
"The decision to sign an advance directive is an important and personal one, and Google Health now makes it a little bit easier."
