Family Care Conference

We may need to have a care conference if:

• The patient’s stay is more than 7 days
• Your family requests it
• A provider requests it
• Your family has complex needs that may impact the care of the patient
• There is a major change in the diagnosis or care plan
• The team needs to come together to create the discharge plan
• There are complex discharge plans to arrange
• You have serious concerns about the patient’s care you feel we have not talked about
• The patient is admitted to the hospital again soon after they went home

Ask anyone on your healthcare team, and the coordinator will talk with the attending physician to schedule the conference. We will schedule the conference when it is convenient for most of the people who need to attend.

The healthcare team will often consider if a conference would be helpful, but you can ask for a conference any time you feel everyone should meet to talk about the patient’s care.

The patient, if appropriate, family and others you invite will attend. Physicians, nurses, your social worker, your RN case manager and staff involved in the care will also attend. You also are welcome to invite your clergyperson or faith leader. Conference call and video options are available.

The goals are to:

• Answer your questions
• Address concerns
• Make sure everyone has the same information to make decisions
• Identify the decisions we need to make
• Create a plan

• We will introduce everyone on the team. The facilitator will lead the
  conference and review and clarify the goals.
• The physician will explain the medical situation, reviewing what has
  happened and what we expect. Other team members also will provide
  information.
• We will describe possible treatments, including what we can expect to
  happen and possible risks. If there are decisions that need to be made,
  we will list these.
• The facilitator makes sure questions are answered or that we have a plan
  to get more information if we cannot answer a question.
• You will have the chance to talk about what to expect and how to plan
  for the future.
• Everyone will have a chance to speak.
• If a patient is not able to speak for him or herself, we talk about the
  choices the patient would want.
• We will take notes at the meeting that will become part of the medical
  record. We will provide you a copy of these notes at your request.