Advance Care Planning for Geriatric Patients (2022)-AAMA Geriatrics ABC Program_Course 4 ACP_eHandbook

AAMA Geriatrics ABC Program_Course 4 ACP_eHandbook_2022

Pdf Summary

The *Advance Care Planning for Geriatric Patients eHandbook* from the American Association of Medical Assistants is a comprehensive guide focused on enhancing care for elderly patients through advance care planning (ACP). It is divided into several sections: key point summaries, critical end-of-life questions, end-of-life care management, a coding guide, and a fact sheet, supplemented by a glossary and references.<br /><br />**Key Points:**<br />Advance care planning is an ongoing process that involves making decisions about future healthcare, documenting these preferences, and communicating them with family and caregivers. Goals include respecting patient autonomy, improving care quality, strengthening relationships, end-of-life preparation, and reducing overtreatment. Areas of focus include chronic disease management and ensuring that patient wishes align with their healthcare treatments.<br /><br />**Palliative Care vs. Hospice:**<br />Palliative care can be provided at any stage of a serious illness and may coexist with curative treatments, focusing on managing pain and symptoms and supporting patients and families. Hospice care is a type of palliative care designed for terminally ill patients with a life expectancy of six months or less.<br /><br />**Key Terms and Documents:**<br />Key terms include capacity, competency, health care agent, life-sustaining treatment, and surrogate decision-making. Important documents for ACP are advance directives, living wills, durable health care power of attorney, and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders.<br /><br />**Management Steps:**<br />Patients are encouraged to think about their values, learn about their health status, decide on a designated decision maker, discuss wishes with key individuals, and record their decisions. Conversations should occur during various stages, especially during initial evaluations or after diagnoses of terminal illnesses.<br /><br />**End-of-Life Options:**<br />Common care settings for end-of-life include assisted living, nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care. Each setting provides different levels of support and care depending on patient needs.<br /><br />**Coding:**<br />The handbook includes a guide on CPT codes for documenting ACP procedures. Relevant codes include 99497 (initial 30-minute ACP discussion) and 99498 (each additional 30 minutes).<br /><br />**Palliative Care Team:**<br />The palliative care team typically includes physicians, nurses, medical assistants, physical therapists, dieticians, social workers, pharmacists, chaplains, and volunteers, all contributing to the holistic care of the patient.<br /><br />In conclusion, the handbook provides detailed resources and guidelines to support healthcare professionals in implementing effective advance care planning for geriatric patients, ensuring their preferences are respected and their quality of life is improved during their final stages.

Keywords

Advance Care Planning

Geriatric Patients

Palliative Care

Hospice Care

End-of-Life Care

Advance Directives

Chronic Disease Management

Healthcare Preferences

CPT Codes

Palliative Care Team