Written by Kevin Valadares, Professor of Health Services, Chair of Health Administration, and Chair of Health Informatics and Information Management
Advance care planning (ACP) is for all adults. It involves thinking and discussing future health care decisions if a sudden event occurs, like a car accident or illness. It is a process of exploration and communication of personal values, goals, and preferences regarding future medical care to surrogate decision makers and medical providers. No one can visualize every future scenario and that is not the point of ACP. Instead, it allows adults to communicate their current wishes & designate an individual (in Indiana this person is referred to as a Healthcare Representative) to be their voice when they are unable to communicate. Practically, ACP leads to the completion of an Advance Directive, which is a recognized document that outlines a person’s wishes and choices.
To find out more information about ACP, please visit the GWEP's Advance Care Planning Page.
