Greetings from Ventura California! We
are known for our gorgeous coastlines, vibrant downtown area, exceptional
state-of-the-art medical care, and of course, our annual celebration
of National Healthcare Decisions Day! My name is Dr Jim Hornstein. I'm a family doctor
who has spent my entire career in Ventura. I am also the chair of the bioethics committee
and the population health committee at the Community Memorial Health System. Now, like all
physicians, I have taken the hippocratic oath. I have pledged to prescribe only beneficial
treatments to the best of my abilities and to refrain from causing harm. However,
when it comes to extremely difficult decisions, especially toward the end of life, I don't always
have the information I need to follow through with the wishes of each of my patients and that's why
we're here today to challenge you, our patients, our neighbors, and our community, to think about
and put down on paper your own personal wishes, your own personal goals, and your own values,
as they relate to the most private and personal choices you may ever have to make. It's
also what National Healthcare Decisions Day is really all about and I'm really so glad you've
chosen to join me on this very important day. Now, before we dive in, let's talk about the
number one goal of this video series.
For each of you to fill out your very own advanced healthcare
directive. Trust me, it's straightforward, it's simple and best of all — it's free, although
please don't mention this to your estate attorney. To make this process easier, I'm going
to break it up into a few segments. If you need to take a break, I encourage you to
do so, but remember, the most important thing is that you complete your advanced health
care directive. So here's our agenda. First, what in fact are advanced healthcare directives
and why should you even care about them? Second, what matters most to you in your life,
how do you identify your own goals and your own wishes? Third, how do you choose your own health
care agent or your own surrogate decision maker or power of attorney? And fourth and finally, how do
you meaningfully fill out the living will section of the advance healthcare directive?
Again, thank you very much for joining me in celebration of the National Healthcare
Decisions Day.
Since its founding in 2008, National Healthcare Decisions Day has
promoted empowering and educating you, our patients and our community. By
watching these videos you are taking the first step in exercising your right to make
important health care choices for yourself..
