Appendix A

Statement of Task

An ad hoc planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize and host a 1-day public workshop that will explore the current state of advance care planning (ACP) and examine the role of effective communication across the lifespan about the care and treatment preferences of patients facing serious illness. The workshop will feature invited presentations and panel discussions on topics that may include ways to

• Improve communication between clinicians and patients and their families,
• Coordinate ACP discussions across care transitions,
• Achieve and measure goal-concordant care,
• Assess the impact of effective ACP on patient outcomes and health care spending,
• Incorporate ACP in electronic health records,
• Overcome challenges with health literacy and cultural competency, and
• Educate and involve younger generations in ACP.

The planning committee will develop the agenda for the workshop, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. A proceedings of the presentations and discussions at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.

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