Making health care personal

Advance Care Planning Facilitator, Aldi Mehicic

For Aldi Mehicic, empowering patients to share their preferences for future health care is central to providing high quality personalised care.

As an Advance Care Planning Facilitator at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH), Aldi’s role is to assist patients and families to communicate their wishes and preferences for their future health care.

As part of the hospital’s Geriatric and Rehabilitation Liaison Service, she works closely with patients to educate them about the importance of sharing their wishes and having conversations about end-of-life with their loved ones as part of their health care journey.

Aldi said it was important for everyone to have an Advance Care Plan.

“As healthcare providers we should know the patient’s wishes so that appropriate treatment respectful to their beliefs and values can be provided, in the event that they are unable to speak for themselves,” Aldi said.

“This includes discussing patient’s wishes around life-sustaining treatment such as resuscitation, who they trust to make decisions on their behalf when they are unable to, and highlighting what living well means to them.”

Aldi said that many patients and families are unprepared when it comes to discussing their preferences for future health care and end of life.

“Having discussions about death and dying can be overwhelming for many patients and families, they may be afraid or not know where to start,” she said.

“My job is to help start that conversation, to help advocate for and share the more personal aspects of patients’ lives – the things that make their lives worth living.

“It’s about making their individual health care journey is as comfortable as possible by ensuring their values and wishes are respected.”

TPCH’s Advance Care Planning Services offers support to vulnerable individuals in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.