(Dillon, SC) – April 16, 2016, is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). McLeod Medical Center Dillon, along with other national, state and community organizations, encourages individuals to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare power of attorney and living will) in accordance with South Carolina state laws. Resources are also available at www.nhdd.org.

An advance directive is a written record of your wishes regarding your health care that helps your loved ones and health care providers in the event of a medical crisis. Advance directives go into effect only when you are unable to make decisions regarding your health care.

As more people in our community have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known, fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient. Healthcare providers and facilities will also be better equipped to address advance healthcare planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.

NHDD is an initiative to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes, whatever they may be.

The mission of NHDD is to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning.

For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, please visit www.nhdd.org.