National Healthcare Decisions Day
National Healthcare Decisions Day exists to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning.
NEA Baptist Clinic, along with other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).
As a participating organization, NEA Baptist Clinic is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and schedule a time to execute written advance directives (healthcare power of attorney and living will) in accordance with Arkansas state laws.
Specifically, on April 16, from 9 am to 2 pm, NEA Baptist Clinic is welcoming the public throughout the day at 4802 E Johnson Ave. in the main clinic lobby on the first floor, with free information about advance care planning and scheduling visits to assist with the completion of the written advanced directives.
NHDD, an initiative of The Conversation Project, exists as a 50-state annual initiative to provide clear, concise, and consistent information on healthcare decision-making to both the public and providers/facilities through the widespread availability and dissemination of simple, free, and uniform tools (not just forms) to guide the process. NHDD entails 50 independent, but coordinated, state and local events (necessitated by the difference in state laws and dynamics) supported by a national media and public education campaign.
In all respects, NHDD is inclusive and brings a variety of players in the larger healthcare/legal/religious community together to work on a common project, to the benefit of patients, families, and providers. NHDD is not prescriptive; it allows for and fosters creativity.
A key goal of NHDD is to demystify healthcare decision-making and make the topic of advance care planning inescapable. On NHDD, no one in the U.S. should be able to open a paper, watch TV, view the internet, see a physician or lawyer, or go to a healthcare facility without being confronted with the topic of advance care planning. Among other things, NHDD helps people understand that advance healthcare decision-making includes much more than living wills; it is a process that should focus first on conversation and choosing an agent.
As of June 2016, The Conversation Project has been responsible for the management, finances, and structure of NHDD. NHDD’s founder, Nathan Kottkamp, continues to be involved in NHDD and provides leadership by ensuring the maintenance of NHDD’s high quality resources and support for the community.
With the full power of The Conversation Project behind it, NHDD aims to expand its reach and boost the number of providers, hospitals, organizations, communities, and institutions that are currently involved. “The Conversation Project is the natural choice to take on National Healthcare Decisions Day because it’s closely aligned with NHDD’s mission and my own passion for this work,” says Kottkamp.
For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, please visit www.nhdd.org.
Join us April 16, 9 am – 2 pm, at NEA Baptist Clinic, 4802 E Johnson Ave. in the main clinic lobby on the first floor, for free information about advance care planning and schedule visits to assist with the completion of the written advanced directives.
For more information about NEA Baptist, please call 870-936-1000 or 870-936-8000 or visit www.neabaptist.com or www.neabaptistclinic.org.