[Making Advance Care Planning a Reality-A Step-by-Step Guide].

Abstract

Advance care planning(ACP)was officially incorporated into Japan's healthcare system in 2018 with the revision of the "Guidelines for the Decision-Making Process in End-of-Life Care"by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. This revision mandated that the government designated cancer hospitals and comprehensive community care wards establish systems for implementing ACP. Consequently, the implementation and promotion of ACP have become significant issues in the healthcare field. When conducting ACP, 3 essential points must be considered: 1)the process must be entirely based on the patient's autonomous will; 2)discussions regarding treatment and care goals should be prioritized; and 3)to prepare for potential declines in the patient's decision-making capacity, it is crucial to involve trusted family members or other individuals in these discussions.