Hays Medical Center, along with other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making — Making Your Wishes Known.

HaysMed announced in a news release Monday that it is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and health care providers, and execute written advance directives (Healthcare Treatment Directives and Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions) in accordance with Kansas state laws.  These resources are available at www.haysmed.com/advancedirectives.

From 2 to 4 p.m. April 2, everyone is encouraged come to the Hays Recreation Center, 1105 Canterbury, to receive free information about advance care planning.  Representatives from HaysMed Pastoral Care Department will be on hand to answer questions.  A short video will be shown at 2 and 3 p.m.  There will be an opportunity to complete advance directive forms and have them notarized.  Refreshments will be served.

“As a result of a national emphasis on making health care decisions, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their health care decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Sue Noll, RN supervisor of hospice and palliative care at HaysMed. “Fewer families and health care providers will have to struggle with making difficult health care decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient, and health care providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance health care planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.”

For more information, call (785) 623-6200.