Comments on: New Year Brings New Companies with New Technologies: Part 1, the Advance Directive Clearinghouse http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/ Helping home health care workers thrive Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:04:38 -0600 hourly 1 By: Angela Williard http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/comment-page-1/#comment-245 Angela Williard Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:52:39 +0000 http://www.homehealthnews.org/?p=697#comment-245 I am nurse that encountered this problem numerous times while working in CCU. I think this is an ingenious idea and will be a tremendous burden off the family and medical staff during a time that is already stressful enough. I also believe the annual fee is well worth this service. I hope all healthcare providers will refer their patients to this service. Technology at its best! Angela Williard, RN, BSN I am nurse that encountered this problem numerous times while working in CCU. I think this is an ingenious idea and will be a tremendous burden off the family and medical staff during a time that is already stressful enough. I also believe the annual fee is well worth this service. I hope all healthcare providers will refer their patients to this service. Technology at its best!

Angela Williard, RN, BSN

]]> By: BB Patel http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/comment-page-1/#comment-222 BB Patel Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:44:39 +0000 http://www.homehealthnews.org/?p=697#comment-222 Margaret....I am a healthcare provider and you are right in that DocuBank is, indeed, a fine and experienced company. However, it is not nearly as comprehensive as Embark health and has significant flaws within its structure that could still leave patients without many of the protections they might need and deserve. Here are some examples: --Like with most services of their kind, Docubank relies on patients to provide them with accurate, current, properly completed documents. Companies like Docubank then merely digitize what the patient provides. There are innumerable examples of this issue being a potential problem. --The form may be incomplete or not notarized or witnessed properly, making it invalid. Again, since simple digitization services do not have a process for validation, for quality control, or for updating/keeping current, the offering is only as good as the patient's willingness and ability to do so themselves. --Education and support for Agents, for relatives, and for others is passive, again relying on others to come to the website, to be proactive in searching for information, or for learning about conversation topics. Most research shows patients are not vigilant and pro-active on a long term, consistent basis about their detailed health information. --Since Docubank and others do not actively involve themselves in the actual completion of the document, they also are not actually involved in helping the patient understand their choices, from choices on the Living Will to choices about who would make the most effective Agent. There are many other issues that fine firms like Docubank do not address. After all, at their core they are a digitization and retrieval firm. From what I understand, Embark Health provides a more comprehensive advance directive, patient's rights service. And that could potentially mean the difference between a patient's wishes being respected or not. I think patients and providers will benefit greatly from Embark. Margaret….I am a healthcare provider and you are right in that DocuBank is, indeed, a fine and experienced company. However, it is not nearly as comprehensive as Embark health and has significant flaws within its structure that could still leave patients without many of the protections they might need and deserve.

Here are some examples:

–Like with most services of their kind, Docubank relies on patients to provide them with accurate, current, properly completed documents. Companies like Docubank then merely digitize what the patient provides. There are innumerable examples of this issue being a potential problem.

–The form may be incomplete or not notarized or witnessed properly, making it invalid. Again, since simple digitization services do not have a process for validation, for quality control, or for updating/keeping current, the offering is only as good as the patient’s willingness and ability to do so themselves.

–Education and support for Agents, for relatives, and for others is passive, again relying on others to come to the website, to be proactive in searching for information, or for learning about conversation topics. Most research shows patients are not vigilant and pro-active on a long term, consistent basis about their detailed health information.

–Since Docubank and others do not actively involve themselves in the actual completion of the document, they also are not actually involved in helping the patient understand their choices, from choices on the Living Will to choices about who would make the most effective Agent.

There are many other issues that fine firms like Docubank do not address. After all, at their core they are a digitization and retrieval firm. From what I understand, Embark Health provides a more comprehensive advance directive, patient’s rights service. And that could potentially mean the difference between a patient’s wishes being respected or not.

I think patients and providers will benefit greatly from Embark.

]]> By: Margaret Chamberlain http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/comment-page-1/#comment-219 Margaret Chamberlain Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:13:01 +0000 http://www.homehealthnews.org/?p=697#comment-219 Another company which has been offering this service for several years is DocuBank (www.docubank.com); I have this for personal use, and found it impressive when I was alone in an acute state, in an ER. Another company which has been offering this service for several years is DocuBank (www.docubank.com); I have this for personal use, and found it impressive when I was alone in an acute state, in an ER.

]]> By: Bill Behnke http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/comment-page-1/#comment-218 Bill Behnke Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:45:35 +0000 http://www.homehealthnews.org/?p=697#comment-218 Amy, thanks for your comment. We absolutely make certain healthcare providers can access patients AD's anywhere and anytime. Our goal is to educate every American on why having an AD available when needed is so important for them and their family. We officially launch February 1st but have already had a tremendous response from providers and patients all over the country. Feel free to email me with any additional questions or comments. Bill Behnke bbehnke@embarkhealth.com Amy, thanks for your comment. We absolutely make certain healthcare providers can access patients AD’s anywhere and anytime. Our goal is to educate every American on why having an AD available when needed is so important for them and their family. We officially launch February 1st but have already had a tremendous response from providers and patients all over the country. Feel free to email me with any additional questions or comments. Bill Behnke bbehnke@embarkhealth.com

]]> By: Tim Rowan http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Tim Rowan Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:30:55 +0000 http://www.homehealthnews.org/?p=697#comment-212 Amy, I couldn't agree more. The reason I gave this startup company so much attention is that I have experienced the problem and immediately understood the value. One of the examples I presented in the first few paragraphs actually describes my own parents' recent experience with a home care nurse asking for Dad's AD original during the OASIS assessment visit. "It's in the safe deposit box," were Mom's words. TR Amy,
I couldn’t agree more. The reason I gave this startup company so much attention is that I have experienced the problem and immediately understood the value. One of the examples I presented in the first few paragraphs actually describes my own parents’ recent experience with a home care nurse asking for Dad’s AD original during the OASIS assessment visit. “It’s in the safe deposit box,” were Mom’s words.
TR

]]> By: Amy http://www.homehealthnews.org/2010/01/new-year-brings-new-companies-with-new-technologies-part-1-the-advance-directive-clearinghouse/comment-page-1/#comment-211 Amy Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:47:02 +0000 http://www.homehealthnews.org/?p=697#comment-211 I am a nurse that works with many health plans and I wish each of them would mandate that their patients have advance directives and be placed some where so that us healthcare providers can access them. Sounds like this solution might do that. I am a nurse that works with many health plans and I wish each of them would mandate that their patients have advance directives and be placed some where so that us healthcare providers can access them. Sounds like this solution might do that.

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