Choosing Wisely: An Opportunity to Expand the Conversation
Choosing Wisely is a national initiative that seeks to promote conversations between physicians and patients by helping patients choose care that is supported by evidence; not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received; free from harm; and truly necessary. NHPCO is currently working with Consumer Reports, AARP and other groups to promote Choosing Wisely and inform consumers about lists of tests and procedures that patients and families should discuss to determine both their efficacy and the impact on a patient’s quality of life. EOL Lists and Guidance in the Works: In early 2013, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, the American Geriatrics Society and other medical specialties will be releasing new lists of evidence-based recommendations that patients and physicians should discuss to ensure that care decisions reflect the patient’s goals and individual situation. Consumer Reports will take these lists and prepare easy to understand information that patients can use to engage their physicians in conversations and ask questions about what tests and procedures are right for them. As part of this initiative, consumer-friendly resources related to care near the end of life will be developed. Your Role: When people understand what questions to ask their physicians, they are better prepared to make decisions about their treatments and, hopefully, also name a healthcare surrogate before they are faced with a crisis. As part of your organization’s advance care planning outreach, please share this new resource with members of your community—and avail yourself of the materials as well! Choosing Wisely provides hospices with another series of tools to help reframe discussions about care decisions and empower patients. Visit Choosing Wisely now.
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http://www.abimfoundation.org/Initiatives/Choosing-Wisely.aspxhttp://staging.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201212/src/Reframing_Advance_Care_Planning2_December_12_NewsLine.pdf
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NewsLine - December 2012