Research Shows Consumers Are Willing to Use Digital Tools to Document Their Thoughts on How They’d Like to be Treated in a Health Emergency

September 4, 2018

Provides Doctors & Families with Better Insight

Dr. Robert Fine, head of Clinical Ethics & Palliative Care at the Baylor Scott & White Healthcare System & Dr. Brian Yeaman, Family Physician

(Richardson, TX, Wednesday, July 13, 2016) – The internet revolution has changed the way we bank, shop, make travel plans and express our opinions on politics, fashion and restaurants. Now, in a new important study just published in Baylor Proceedings, researchers have proven that the digital world can help solve a long-standing problem in healthcare: capturing and finding your voice in the event of a healthcare emergency ensuring who can speak for you and how you’d like to be treated in a health emergency if you couldn’t communicate.

Dr. Robert Fine, head of Clinical Ethics & Palliative Care at the BaylorScott&White Healthcare System in Dallas who co-led the research with a team from the University of Texas using data from the myDirectives website, says.

FINE SOUNDBITE:

MANY STUDIES SHOW THE NEED FOR AND BENEFITS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES, BUT MOST PEOPLE STILL DON’T HAVE THEM.  IF WE DO, THEY ARE OFTEN OUT-OF-DATE.  IN OUR RESEARCH, WE STUDIED THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED, UPDATED AND SHARED THEIR PERSONAL VALUES AND ADVANCE CARE PLANS ON THE MYDIRECTIVES WEBSITE.  WE FOUND THAT THESE DIGITAL PLANS WERE CREATED BY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND HEALTH STATUS – NOT JUST THE SICK AND ELDERLY.  WE FOUND THEIR ANSWERS TO BE MORE NUANCED, COMMUNICATING MORE INFORMATION THAN THE TYPICAL PAPER BASED LEGAL FORM.  DOCTORS IN MY SPECIALTY ARE CALLED IN TO GUIDE FAMILIES AND TREATMENT TEAMS WHEN SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS CAN NO LONGER COMMUNICATE.  THIS RESEARCH SHOWED ME THAT WE’LL HAVE BETTER INSIGHT AND CAN DO OUR JOBS BETTER IF WE HAVE ACCESS TO THESE PLANS.

Dr. Brian Yeaman, Family Physician and health industry “Innovator of the Year” award winner, says this will truly help people be empowered about their lives.

YEAMAN SOUNDBITE:

THIS IS BIG! AND, QUITE FRANKLY, OBVIOUS AND LONG OVERDUE.  PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE A VOICE IN THEIR CARE.  I DON’T FEEL GOOD ABOUT MY JOB WHEN I DON’T KNOW MY PATIENTS’ PREFERENCES, PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR THEIR CARE.  I WANT TO KNOW WHAT MATTERS TO THEM AND WHO THEY WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM IF THEY CAN’T TALK TO ME.  WITH ALL THE MONEY WE’RE SPENDING ON ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS AND REFORM IN SOCIETY, IT’S TIME THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE TAKE CENTER STAGE.  I APPLAUD THIS TEAM FOR THEIR RESEARCH.  NOW IT’S UP TO US LEADERS TO MAKE SURE WE DO THE RIGHT THING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

For more information, visit MyDirectives.com.

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