Sonoma Valley Hospital and Hospice by the Bay Hold Advanced Care Planning Informational Event

October 13, 2014

Experts from Sonoma Valley Hospital’s Palliative Care program and Hospice by the Bay will discuss advanced care planning in a panel discussion to be held at Vintage House on Thursday, November 13. The event is titled “Planning Ahead – Making Your Health Care Wishes Known,” and is open to the community without cost.

It will include discussion of the newest version of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST), a form that gives seriously-ill and medically frail patients more control over their end-of-life care, including medical treatment, extraordinary measures (such as a ventilator or feeding tube) and CPR. Signed by both doctor and patient, POLST can prevent unwanted or ineffective treatments, reduce patient and family suffering, and ensure that a patient’s wishes are honored.

Speakers will include Robert Cohen, MD, SVH Chief Medical Officer; Brian Sebastian, MD, Sonoma Primary Care Physician and member of the Hospital’s medical staff; Elissa DeWolfe, APN, SVH Palliative Care Advanced Practice Nurse; and Teresa Tooker, Provider Relations Liaison with Hospice by the Bay.

The session will be held twice on Thursday, November 13: from 1:30 pm-3:00 pm, and again from 5:30-7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served. To reserve a space or for more information, call 707.935.5081, or email Elissa DeWolfe at edewolfe@sonomavalleyhospital.org. Vintage House is located at 264 1st St East in Sonoma.