Advance Care Planning
Planning in Advance for Future Healthcare Choices
Valley Health encourages everyone to join the conversation about healthcare decision- making.
We want to help you understand how to communicate your healthcare wishes, and choose someone to make decisions for you, if you cannot speak for yourself.
What is Advance Care Planning?
Advance care planning is understanding, thinking about and discussing plans for a time when you cannot make your own medical decisions.
What is an Advance Directive and why is it important?
An advance directive is a form you can complete so that you can be in charge of your health care if you become unable to make healthcare decisions for yourself because of injury or illness. “It always seems too early until it’s too late”
An Advance Directive includes two important parts:
- Choosing someone to be your voice when you cannot speak for yourself. This person is commonly called a health care agent, or may also be known as a Health Care Proxy, Substitute Decision-Maker, or Medical Power of Attorney.
- Communicating the kind of medical treatment you want or don’t want. This is called your Living Will.
Click here to view our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
National Healthcare Decisions Day
Please visit this website for more information.
Contact
Let Valley Health help you with your advance care planning today.
- Hamsphire Memorial Hospital – Amanda Harman, MSW 304-822-2168
- War Memorial Hospital – Kim Ack 304-258-6555
- Warren Memorial Hospital – Jo Anne Winschel 540-636-0264
- Shenandoah Memorial Hospital - Ruth Wakeman 540-459-1187
- Winchester Medical Center – 888-227-8088
- Page Memorial Hospital – Tabatha Keyser 540-743-8059
Forms
Click here for Advance Directives forms and information from your state:
There are many advance directive forms available. Valley Health can give you a Five Wishes® advance directive form (recognized in 42 states, including VA, WV and MD) when you meet with a trained facilitator at one of our hospitals. We are happy to assist you with ‘beginning the conversation’ and completing your forms.
Resources
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The information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult your physician or attorney for any specific medical or legal questions you may have.