ACP Basics

Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of thinking about the healthcare you would want if you were ever unable to make or communicate your own decisions.

ACP includes reflecting on what's important to you, choosing someone you trust to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if needed, talking with your loved ones about your decisions, and documenting those choices in an advance directive.

Together, these steps help ensure your healthcare decisions are available whenever and wherever they're needed.

The Four Steps of Advance Care Planning

ACP typically involves four important steps:

• 1. Reflect on what matters most to you.
  Think about your values, goals, beliefs, and what quality of life means to you.
• 2. Choose a healthcare agent.
  Select someone you trust to make healthcare decisions if you're ever unable to make or communicate those decisions yourself.
• 3. Document your choices.
  Document your healthcare decisions so your choices are recorded and can be made available when they're needed.
  
• 4. Share your decisions.
  Talk with your healthcare agent, loved ones, and healthcare providers, and make sure they know how to access your advance care planning documents when they're needed.
  

The goal is simple: to help ensure your healthcare decisions continue to reflect what's most important to you and are available when they're needed.