MedicAlert Launches ACP Service for All Consumers
The MedicAlert Foundation has just launched an Advance Care Planning (ACP) Service that will safely store the written advance directives of consumers and make them available when and where they’re needed through MedicAlert’s 24/7 emergency response center or online portal for health professionals. For $50, consumers can enroll in the ACP Service, which includes five years of document storage and accessibility; live 24/7 emergency response and family notification services; and an emergency wallet card detailing how to access the individual’s advance directives either by phone or online. Advance Directives From Caring Connections For added convenience, the MedicAlert website also includes each state’s advance directive form—courtesy of NHPCO’s Caring Connections. “This partnership helps both of our organizations to further enhance patient safety across the nation,” says Kathy Brandt, a senior vice president of NHPCO. Share With Referral Sources According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, between 65 and 75 percent of physicians whose patients had an advance directive were not aware of its existence. This affordable service makes it easy to ensure that a patient’s wishes are known and considered. It can also help medical professionals in primary care practice, as well as hospital emergency departments, who are required to inform patients about the benefits of advance directives and provide guidance on how to access the form for their state.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NewsLine - May 2012