Health Care Decisions Day

Health Care Decisions Day is a yearly event promoting awareness of end-of-life and medical choices. West Virginia has been a major supporter of this event in the past and will continue this year by coordinating with the West Virginia Center for End-of-Life Care to create community events and outreach programs throughout the state.

On April 16, 2010 West Virginia will be participating in National Health Care Decisions Day. The West Virginia Center for End-of-Life Care has coordinated West Virginia’s participation in this national event since its inception three years ago. National Healthcare Decisions Day has been formally recognized by the US Congress, numerous state and local governments, and nearly 400 local and state organizations throughout the country. Last year West Virginia was one of the event’s most active participants.

Healthcare Decisions Day is designed to raise awareness of the need to plan ahead for end-of-life care decisions and medical decision-making in general whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves.

“Although West Virginia has the highest completion of advance directives (living wills and medical power of attorney forms used to convey to medical providers an individual's treatment wishes) in the country, fewer than half of all West Virginians have completed these forms,” stated Alvin H. Moss, MD, director of the West Virginia Center for End-of-Life Care.

“Advance directives make it much easier for families to decide what treatments their loved ones should receive at the end of life. In the combined living will and medical power of attorney form, the most commonly used advance directive in West Virginia, individuals can name someone they trust to make decisions for them and provide directions for the types of treatment they do and do not want at the end of life. Others need to know our wishes in order to honor them. It is best to put our wishes in writing and talk to our families,” remarked Moss.

To find out more about National Healthcare Decisions Day events in your community, visit the West Virginia Center for End-of-Life Care’s website www.wvendoflife.org or call them at 877.209.8086. The Center provides free information and tools (including free advance directives forms) to assist with thoughtful reflection on healthcare choices and to enable West Virginians to put their wishes in writing so that they will be followed.