Community Health: Advance Care Planning

As part of our community health partnership with Valley Health, we talked with Dr. Jim VanKirk, a board-certified palliative care specialist and Medical Director of Valley Health's palliative care program. Dr. VanKirk explained the role of palliative medicine, which is to work with patients with serious (possibly life-threatening) illnesses and help alleviate burdensome symptoms, while the patient is still pursuing aggressive treatments. He clarified that hospice care is a later stage of palliative medicine, often when the patient stops further life-prolonging therapies and focuses on comfort. Dr. Jeff Harris joined Dr. VanKirk to talk about advance care planning. Dr. Harris is part of a volunteer group of retired physicians who offer their (free) consultative services to help families work through the details of setting up medical directives. Dr. Harris discussed the importance of discussing end-of-life plans with patients through the use of an Advance Directive, such as '5 Wishes'. He explained the benefits of walking through this document with individuals, including the opportunity to discuss other practical and emotional considerations. He also noted that the hospital provides support for these discussions through volunteers and meeting space, with no charge to patients. Dr. Harris emphasized the value of having conversations about end-of-life wishes ahead of time, which can help prevent disagreements among family members and make the process easier for everyone involved. He also highlighted the importance of having these wishes legally documented, such as through the 5 Wishes form recognized by Valley Health. He explained that 5 Wishes was chosen for its wide recognition across multiple states, making it more likely for an individual's wishes to be honored regardless of where they are. People interested in discussing healthcare decisions can call 540-536-5437 to book a one-hour meeting with one of the four specialists.