National Healthcare Decisions Day - 2012

From the NHDD leadership:

We've revamped the website.  I hope you like the fresher, cleaner look.  And, check out the blog post I did on the website.  I'll try to have a new post each month.  Today marks exactly six months to the Fifth Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day, April 16, 2012.  Once again, the goal is simple: use a single day, all across the country, to provide increased focus on the importance of advance care planning and advance directives for both the public and providers.  Check out our growth and progress!!!  I hope you take as much pride in these figures as I do.

NHDD Results
	2008	2009	2010	2011	Total
National Participants	76	80	90	110	110
State/Local Participants	391	700	900	1,200	1,200
Facility/Member Participants	200,000	400,000	600,000	1 Million	2.2 Million
Public Participants	30,000	100,000	370,000	500,000	1 Million
Advance Directives Executed	5,300	4,700	4,000	3,500	17,500

For our 5th year, please help us grow even further.  Here's a sampling of how you can help and what you can do:

·         Commit to recruiting at least one provider/group/entity this week.  It is easy.  Call up a friend, former colleague, or a classmate and explain how you have participated in NHDD and why he/she should participate, too.  Confirming participation takes only moments by clicking here.

·      "Like" us on Facebook.  Facebook is a great way to spread the word, particularly among those who may not have routine exposure to the topic.  In honor of our 5th year, let's see if we can have 5,000 likes by April 16.  Furthermore, please follow us on Twitter and join the various discussions at LinkedIn

·       Be sure NHDD is on your calendar.  If you have a schedule conflict on April 16, please use that day to promote your NHDD activities on whatever date you hold them.  Of course, feel free to engage in week-long or month-long events/activities.  Furthermore, feel free to have events earlier in the week and tell participants to use April 16 as their action day--the day to have the talk with loved ones and put wishes in writing.

·         National organizations:  inform your state/local chapters about the event and encourage participation (i.e., highlight NHDD in emails, newsletters, monthly print magazines, etc). A variety of free templates and sample communication materials can be found here.

·         Local/state organizations and providers: be sure your peers and referral sources are involved and that any national organizations in which you participate are also involved. 

·         Put a link to www.nhdd.org on your social media/networking outlets and website.  Help us reach out to those who haven’t heard about NHDD.

·         Be creative about who else should be involved.  Advance healthcare planning is something that should be discussed in colleges, religious institutions, civic/service organizations, and elsewhere.  Tell others about your NHDD experience and encourage participation/activities throughout the community.

·         Consider serving as a state liaison.  It’s a truly rewarding job, and it’s a great way to network within your state.  If you are interested in serving as a state liaison, please click here if you are interested. 

·         Consider a donation.  Although participation remains free, NHDD would not be possible without donations.  We have provided all of the resources on the website on a shoestring budget and with the invaluable help of the small number of donors.  If we received even a small donation from every participating organization, we would have funds to obtain professional media assistance to be sure that we make an even larger public splash this year.  To donate easily click here.  Otherwise, please send donations directly to me and I’ll see that they get processed.  Make checks payable to: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Attn: NHDD.  Note: NHPCO has kindly set up a dedicated account for NHDD funds.

The News Corner:

• There has been a lot of buzz about the recent article in JAMA regarding the impact of advance directives on the cost of care.  I hope that you will agree with me that any cost benefits of advance care planning are ancillary to the benefits of respecting patients' wishes, improving care, and easing the burden on decision-makers.

• I just learned about this new educational tool for providers available from the Centers for Disease Control.  It's nice to see the government promoting advance care planning education.

• You may also be interested in participating in the International Society of Advance Care Planning & End of Life Care's Conference in Chicago, May 31-June 2, 2012.  ACPEL is currently calling for abstracts for the conference.