NEWTON – Newton Memorial Hospital would like to invite the public to learn more about the importance of advance healthcare planning at three public events, including one at the Hospital, on Thursday, April 15 and Friday, April 16.

Newton Memorial Hospital is one of thousands of healthcare organizations nationwide participating in National Healthcare Decisions Day, which seeks to raise awareness about the importance of making your healthcare wishes known to physicians, friends and family.

Although several states have engaged in advance-directives awareness events, only a small minority of Americans have executed an advance directive.

"As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more Americans can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known," said Nathan A. Kottkamp, chair of the National Healthcare Decision Day initiative. "Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient; and healthcare providers and facilities will 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."

Newton Memorial Hospital's experts in the field will be available at the following times and locations with flyers and other information to help educate community members on the importance of making they’re healthcare plans known:

• From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 15 at the Student Center Galleria at Sussex County Community College;
• From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 16 at the Bristol Glen Town Hall; and
• From 12 to 3 p.m. on Friday, April 16 at the Newton Memorial Hospital Main Lobby.

By considering your options now, you can avoid having your family "guess" your wishes or having to make critical medical care decisions for you under stress or emotional turmoil.

"Because many people, particularly when they come to the hospital, have not considered these issues, discussed them with their families or developed clear cut roles for which family member will be the decision maker, as a result, these things are done in a rushed fashion oftentimes in the middle of the night," Newton Memorial Hospital Vice President of Medical Affairs David Lazarus, M.D., said.

Dr. Lazarus said Newton Memorial wants to encourage people to discuss their healthcare wishes with their primary care physicians and have a form on file at the Hospital in the event decisions need to be made.

"We very much want to do what our patients want us to do," Dr. Lazarus said. "But we need guidance from them. We can't be judging this sort of thing at the last minute."