End of life care--the importance of advance care planning.
BACKGROUND
Communication about end of life care may involve difficult conversations for patients, family members and health professionals. However, a lack of understanding of a person's wishes about their future care may result in a loss of dignity for the person, and additional distress for their family members and health professionals and burden to the healthcare system.


OBJECTIVE
This article discusses the barriers to advance care planning and provides some guidance for the general practitioner in undertaking advance care planning with patients and their families. Tips for initiating end of life discussions with patients and families utilising the 'PREPARED' acronym, and ensuring appropriate care delivery are included.


CONCLUSIONS
Involving patients and their family members in advance care planning may be challenging and time consuming for GPs. However, there are a number of resources to support this activity in relation to training, communication support and Medicare item funding.
Bloomer
Melissa
M
Palliative Care Research Team, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria. melissa.bloomer@monash.edu.au
Tan
Heather
H
Lee
Susan
S
D032722:Advance Care Planning; D000375:Aging; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013727:Terminal Care