What Is A Life Care Plan? Breaking Down The Definition, Part 2:
To recap Part 1, the definition of a life care plan is “a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis, and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.” The term dynamic was discussed. The second part of the definition states that a life care plan is “based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis, and research which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs.” So, what exactly does this mean?
Certified life care planners abide by published standards of practice, with the most recent standards being the 4th Edition, published on November 3, 2022, in the Journal of Life Care Planning. These standards guide the work of life care planners from various disciplines, whether providing life care planning services locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally. The published standards outline expectations of those practicing life care planning and provide a means for evaluating the quality of work practices and work product.
According to the Standards, life care planners should conduct a comprehensive assessment of the evaluee and note if an interview did not occur. Life care planners collect data regarding health/medical, biopsychosocial, financial, educational, and vocational history and current treatment needs. Life Care Planners also gather information from relevant treating and consulting allied health professionals. The assessment can help the life care planner determine the need for additional evaluations and expert opinions. Life Care Planners analyze all relevant data using a consistent method to assess the evaluee’s needs and to identify current functioning, disability, and health, supporting future medical care recommendations. Age, geographical location, and gender are other factors that should be considered when formulating a life care plan.
Life care planners conduct research to determine appropriate costs for recommended items and services. When performing research in developing a life care plan, the life care planner must use a consistent method to determine costs for various categories of available/needed services. The costs should be geographically relevant and identified from reliable sources. The life care planner should use a consistent method for organizing and interpreting data for projecting costs, and the cost research should be presented clearly.
Standards of practice help to guide life care planners, the assessment and analysis provide determining factors, and the cost research for current and future care needs define what life care planners need to produce an accurate and reliable product.