NSMC News Releases

Thursday, April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day we look to inspire and educate the public about the importance of advanced care planning.

Advanced care planning enables you to document your end-of-life wishes in the event that you are terminally ill or critically injured and unable to communicate. Help ensure that your loved ones and health care providers know how to honor your care decisions by selecting a health care proxy, completing a living will and making your wishes known.

On April 16 and in the weeks following, we invite all adults, regardless of age, to have this important conversation with those they love. We understand that these may be difficult conversations. To make it easier, have a family get together and let people know in advance what will be discussed. During the discussion remember:

— Be patient. Some people may need a little bit of time to think.

— Nothing is permanent. Living wills and health care proxy can be changed at anytime.

— This may be the first of many longer conversations.

— Value and respect your loved one’s decisions.

North Shore Medical Center is proud to promote National Healthcare Decisions Day, and encourage residents of the North Shore to always care for themselves and others by starting the advanced care planning conversation.

North Shore Medical Center (NSMC) is a multi-site health system headquartered in Salem, Mass., which includes NSMC Salem Hospital, NSMC Union Hospital in Lynn, MassGeneral for Children at North Shore Medical Center, NSMC Heart Center, and the physician network known as North Shore Physicians Group. NSMC and Massachusetts General Hospital together provide care at the Mass General/North Shore Center for Outpatient Care and the Mass General/North Shore Cancer Center in Danvers. NSMC is a member of Partners HealthCare, which was founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. #northshoremed

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