Making Decisions
Veterans and their caregivers must think about many factors when making care and treatment decisions – choices that meet needs while honoring Veteran priorities.
Patient Priorities Care helps patients and health care providers focus all decision-making and health care on what matters most – patients’ own health priorities.
This type of care can work well for older adults with multiple conditions and many health care providers. Often, these patients receive care that can be burdensome and may not address what matters most to them.
Patient Priorities Care recognizes that, when faced with tradeoffs, older adults differ in their own health outcome goals – what they want to achieve from their care as well as their care choices – what they can do to achieve their goals.
These resources can help you identify your priorities, talk with your providers or loved ones about them, and make decisions about planning for long term care.
- Conversation Guide for Patients and Caregivers for Identifying their Health Priorities – Guides the Veteran and caregiver when working with the care team to identify and discuss health priorities, such as core life values, health outcome goals and care preferences. The Patient Priorities website also includes a useful glossary with definitions of terms.
- Patient Summary of Health Priorities – Allows patients to provide a summary of priorities and make a specific ask for the “one thing” in their care or treatment to focus on so they can do more of a desired activity
- Tips for Patients to Communicate with Clinicians – Offers tips for talking about priorities and concerns
- Veteran Decision Aid for Care at Home or in the Community - Helps Veterans think about what matters most when considering long term care choices
- Caregiver Self-Assessment – Helps caregivers review their roles and responsibilities and evaluate their stress
