Goals of Care

In the health care setting, things move quickly and focus on delivering the best treatments for specific conditions. This may not translate to the best treatments for an individual.

As a patient, you may have different goals of care than the emergency doctors do. This is why it is important to document and let others know (children, spouses, caregivers) what your goals are so that in an emergency, you are more likely to get the care you desire. Also, there will be no uncertainty or guilt on the part of your loved ones if asked to speak on your behalf.

If you have heart disease, you can benefit from sharing your goals of care with your advocates. With clear goals, your chances of getting the care you value goes up. To start planning, identify the things which are most important to you.