The internet revolution has changed the way we bank, shop, make travel plans and express our opinions on politics, fashion and restaurants. Now, in a new study published in Baylor Proceedings, researchers found that the digital world can help solve a long-standing problem in healthcare: capturing and finding your voice in the event of a healthcare emergency, detailing who can speak for you and how you’d like to be treated if you can’t communicate for yourself.
This study verifies that digital emergency, critical and advance care planning tools, like MyDirectives, are extremely useful in today’s technologically advanced society and have the ability to improve the way one’s medical wishes are documented, shared, found and fulfilled.
Dr. Robert Fine, head of Clinical Ethics & Palliative Care at the Baylor Scott & White Healthcare System in Dallas, who co-led the research with a team from the University of Texas, believes that the results of his new findings are a major step in the right direction for healthcare.
“Many studies show the need for and benefits of advance directives, but most people still don’t have them,” said Fine. “If they do, they are often out-of-date. In our research, we studied the people who created, updated and shared their personal values and advance care plans on the MyDirectives website. This research showed that doctors can do our jobs better when we have access to these plans.”
Judy Peres, Washington D.C. healthcare policy expert says: “From a consumer behavioral standpoint, this study fixed misconceptions about what people are willing to do in advance and how well they can do it. Society is better off when all adults make a plan they can update as their lives evolve. With sharing features and video messaging, it is exciting to see this innovation help people live with confidence that their voices can be heard if they have a crisis.”
Health industry “Innovator of the Year” award winner Dr. Brian Yeaman adds his excitement by saying: “This is big! People need to have a voice in their care. I don’t feel good about my job when I don’t know my patient’s preferences, priorities and goals for their care. I want to know what matters to them and who they want to speak for them if they can’t talk to me. With all the money we’re spending on electronic health records, it’s time the voices of the people take center stage. I applaud this team for their research. Now it’s up to us leaders to make sure we do the right thing to make it happen.”
We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves. With an easy-to-use digital platform that fully embodies the findings of this new research, MyDirectives is the perfect way to make your medical wishes known and take control of your future in this digital world. In order to feel empowered about your life and confident with your healthcare plan, visit MyDirectives.com to learn more.