Yale New Haven Health strives to ensure patients receive the type and intensity of care they desire, particularly at the end of life. For the past year, a YNHHS Advance Care Planning Committee – as part of the Clinical Integration and Population Health Management department's efforts – has been meeting to promote and facilitate advance care planning discussions between providers and patients throughout the continuum of care. 

Under the direction of Leo Cooney Jr., MD, and Vivian Argento, MD, the group has been exploring ways to facilitate discussions with patients, provide support to clinicians around advance care planning and increase the number of patients who have goals of care, advance directives and healthcare representatives. 

On July 11, a new Epic feature – the Advance Care Planning Navigator – was scheduled to launch, to help medical staff members document their patients' goals of care and treatment preferences. All documents, notes and information about advance care planning will be on one page that can be accessed from the patient header or "your activities" bar. Patient-care tools and notes will also be available to help providers discuss and document goals of care and treatment preferences.

Advance Care Planning Navigator instructions and in-services are being planned at various YNHHS sites. If you have questions about the new Epic feature, call the ITS Service Desk, 203-688-HELP. If you have suggestions or input for the Advance Care Planning Committee, email [email protected] or [email protected].