Disaster Planning

Advanced care planning to avoid unwanted care at the end of life remains a low priority in patient care. Only around 15-20% of sick or geriatric patients have such documents. In this article, the authors discuss the barriers to advanced care planning, citing three correctable problems that have been perpetuating the situation: (1) most physicians don't include such planning as an integral part of care, even for seriously ill patients; (2) even if plans are developed, they are not moved with the patient from one health care setting to another; (3) even if a care team is aware of an advanced care plan, the plan is sometimes not followed.