Vital Decisions LLC
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Vital Decisions Announces Poster Presentation of Outcomes Associated With Their “Living Well Program” at the 19th Annual CMSA Conference
Millburn, NJ. December. 1, 2008
– Vital Decisions, LLC announced today that it will be presenting a poster presentation of outcomes associated with its “Living Well Program” at the 19th Annual CMSA Conference & Expo being held in Phoenix, AZ from June 16 – 19, 2009. The “Living Well Program” is a unique health care patient counseling service which significantly enhances informed patient decision making during serious illness. The Case Management Society of America (CMSA) aims to improve patient well-being and health care outcomes by supporting the professional development of care managers from a variety of disciplines, practice settings, skill levels and professional capacities.
The analysis was conducted based on a primary research follow-up study of a cohort of patients with life-limiting illness who participated in the program. This study was descriptive in nature and focused on outcomes related to satisfaction with the service as well as choices of types of care following the intervention. The poster will be presented by Dr. Jessica Zitter, Vital Decisions’ Medical Director.
Satisfaction survey results showed that 83% of the respondents said that the Vital Decisions service provided them with a sense of comfort or caring and 80% would recommend the Vital Decisions intervention to others. Additionally, 66% felt the program helped them to better understand their healthcare choices, 53% felt Vital Decisions helped them to make the best decisions for themselves or their loved one, and 56% felt that they were better able to make sure their decisions were carried out.
The healthcare choices survey measured choices of various care paths following the Vital Decisions program. Hospice utilization as a result of the Vital Decisions intervention was 30%. Overall hospice utilization was 44%. The Vital Decisions enabled sub population had spent 796 total days in hospice, with 9 patients still alive at the time of survey completion, with an average of 26 days per patient at the point in time of the analysis.
“The results of this analysis further substantiates our belief that seriously ill patients and their families want substantially more input into matching the care that they choose to their personal goals and values and that our “Living Well Program” provides them with the knowledge, capabilities and confidence to proactively participate in their care through identifying, communicating and incorporating their priorities into current and future care decisions”, commented Mitchell Daitz, CEO of the Company, “Our proprietary counseling service ensures that patients are in the position to advocate for the care plan that makes the most sense to their unique situation and preferences. We are privileged to be able to help make a difference with these patients in a very difficult and stressful time in their lives.”
About Vital Decisions
Vital Decisions is the leader in providing health care counseling services to individuals and their families who are facing serious medical situations. Their proprietary counseling methodology, called the Living Well Program, enables patients to become more active participants in identifying, communicating and incorporating their individual preferences and priorities into current and future decisions about their care. For more information, visit www.vitaldecisions.net