II. Philosophical Overview/Goals of Life Care Planning

The Life Care Plan should be a working document that provides accurate and timely information which can be easily used by the client and interested parties. It should be a document that can be updated and serve as a lifelong guide to assist in the delivery of health care services in a managed format.
 
It is appropriate, if possible, for the care plan to be a collaborative effort among the various parties and should reflect goals that are preventive and rehabilitative in nature. As a dynamic document, the Life Care Plan will require periodic updating to accommodate changes and should have as its goal quality outcomes.

Goals / Life Care Plans:

In accordance with the professional Standards and Codes of Ethics for the various practitioners and clinicians who are able to perform life care planning, the client is considered the person with a disability or illness who receives services. In life care planning, the client is defined as the person who is the subject of the life care plan.

A. To assist the client in achieving optimal outcomes by developing an appropriate plan of prevention of complications and restoration. This may include recommendations for evaluations or treatment that may contribute to the client's level of wellness or provide information regarding treatment requirements.

B. To provide health education to the client and interested parties, when appropriate.

C. To develop accurate and timely cost information and specificity of service allocations that can be easily utilized by the client and interested parties.

D. To develop options for care that may be necessary for alternative situations.

E. To communicate the Life Care Plan and objectives to the client and interested parties, when appropriate.

F. To develop measurement tools, which can be used to analyze outcomes.

G. To routinely develop comprehensive assessments of the projected goals of the Life Care Plan, whenever possible.