Get providers comfortable with advance directives to encourage ACP use

Why This Topic Matters

Advance care planning depends on more than billing knowledge; staff need familiarity with the forms and conversations that support patient wishes. The article helps readers understand the general document types and practice processes involved so they can determine whether their organization is ready to offer or support ACP services.

Article Sections

1. Survey findings on ACP use

   Summarizes physician survey results about how often advance care planning is performed or billed and identifies broad barriers reported by respondents. It also notes the role of formal systems in supporting these conversations.

2. Advance directive forms and patient documentation

   Introduces the concept of advance directives and explains that patient-completed documents are not always required to support the service. The section frames advance directives as part of broader care-planning documentation.

3. Educate providers about these ACP documents

   Reviews common advance directive document types and related state-law considerations. It also addresses who may be named in these documents and why policies can vary by state.

4. Be careful about dispensing forms

   Discusses practice-level precautions when providing advance directive forms to patients, including the need to confirm that forms align with state requirements. It also mentions outside services that may provide state-specific forms.

5. 2 tips for using ACP forms

   Offers broad implementation ideas for staff education and periodic review of completed directives. The section emphasizes workflow support and ongoing communication with patients.