The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) Launches Service Affiliate C-TAC Innovations, Which Includes Respecting Choices ®

Board Co-Chair and former AARP CEO Bill Novelli says, "By launching C-TAC Innovations, we're taking a major step forward in the movement to do better by America's seriously ill. This will strengthen the healthcare system and help patients and families receive care that matches their preferences and values."   

"Our evidence-based model enhances the patient and family experience, and the quality of medical care at Gundersen and at organizations where the model is used," says Sigurd Gundersen III, MD, Gundersen Health System and chairman of the board, Gundersen Medical Foundation. "We have found the right partner in C-TAC to accelerate the distribution of this patient-centered service."

C-TAC Innovations is a self-sustaining nonprofit affiliate of C-TAC. It will initially have two lines of service and will help partners implement:

1. Gundersen's Respecting Choices®, the pioneering and evidence-based model for advance care planning and shared decision-making among patients and clinicians.  Respecting Choices® helps redesign systems, trains health professionals, certifies Advance Care Planning facilitators, and engages communities to sustain a strong advance care planning system.  The program has a network of over 10,000 trained facilitators.  Its benefits for individuals, health systems, and communities are proven and have been replicated in diverse communities.
2. C-TAC's Advanced Illness Care Model by working with C-TAC Innovations' experienced leadership team. The team already works with industry-leading partners including a national nonprofit health system, nonprofit health plan, and nonprofit provider of end-of-life care.

Respecting Choices® Executive Director Bud Hammes, Ph.D., emphasizes, "We are thrilled to be part of C-TAC Innovations and expand our reach. Most Americans will face advanced illness at some point—their own or a loved one's. And, the vast majority believes patients and healthcare providers should talk about advanced illness care issues. Yet, our systems today tend not to support coordinated, person-centered care and conversations like these. We are changing that." 

Today's announcement greatly expands C-TAC and its work.  Board Co-Chair, Tom Koutsoumpas says, "Thanks to our members' hard work, C-TAC has a rock solid foundation. Today marks a major achievement in our growth as a catalyst.  We are eager not just to serve through C-TAC Innovations, but also to grow and learn from this work."

About C-TAC
The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan alliance of patient and consumer advocacy groups, health care professionals and providers, private sector stakeholders, faith-based organizations, and health care payers committed to the vision that all Americans with advanced illness, especially the sickest and most vulnerable, will receive comprehensive, high quality, person-and-family-centered care that is consistent with their goals and values and honors their dignity. For more information about C-TAC, visit TheCTAC.org.

Defining Advanced Illness Care
C-TAC defines advanced illness care as care that occurs when one or more conditions becomes serious enough that general health and functioning begin to decline, treatment may no longer lead to preferred outcomes, and care oriented toward comfort may take precedence over attempts to cure – a process that extends to the end of life.

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SOURCE Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC)

Related Links

http://TheCTAC.org