Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest off to a strong start

April 20, 2017

After the first six months of data, Honoring Choices© Pacific Northwest is proud to report the growing impact this joint initiative is having on advance care planning, even such early stages. From July 11, 2016 to January 15, 2017, the first cohort of 23 organizations and 32 sites with small tests of change collectively:

  • Facilitated more than 400 conversations with 383 individuals;
  • Included the health care agent with that conversation 64 percent of the time (the gold standard for preparing a surrogate decision-maker);
  • Documented the conversation with facilitated notes in the EMR 91 percent of the time; and
  • Received completed advance directives at a rate of 38 percent (the national and state averages hover at 24 percent),

From the individual’s perspective, the conversations appear to be meaningful, useful and satisfying. On a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5, overall ratings average 4.9. Ensuring that everyone receives care that honors personal values and goals at the end of life is a long-term endeavor but the measures speak to a very strong start. (Bonnie Bizzell)

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