32724 Medical Ethics: Advance Care Planning

Course overview

Discussion about medical ethics and advance care planning, with topics including the advance care planning process and the differences between mental capacity and competence. There is also a discussion about how implicit bias may impact healthcare. Advance care planning can be a major asset for individuals and their families. Advance care planning involves discussing and preparing for future decisions about your medical care should you become unable to speak for yourself or make your own decisions. Research shows that individuals are more likely to get the care they want if they have conversations about their future medical treatment and put a plan in place. All too often, the lack of advance care planning can result in questioning, confusion, or disagreement among family members trying to envision what an individual would want if they were unable to speak for themselves. For the many older Americans living today with one or more chronic conditions, advance care planning is an important part of chronic disease self-management in which you provide your healthcare team with information on your healthcare preferences and whether you want life-sustaining measures if there appears to be little likelihood of your recovery.