What's in a Life Care Plan?
The International Academy of Life Care Planners (IALCP) defines a Life Care Plan as “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 healthcare needs.” So, what goes into a Life Care Plan?
The following are examples of topics, including medical and vocational needs that are typically found in specific sections of a Life Care Plan.
Projected Evaluations: Projected evaluations include evaluations by physicians or other allied health professionals such as physical therapists, speech therapists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, etc.
Projected Therapeutic Modalities: This section outlines the therapies and treatments that would be rendered to a patient for the medical needs associated with the indexed accident or injury.
Future Medical Care – Routine: This section outlines the regularly occurring visits and treatment with physicians or other allied health professionals on an ongoing basis.
Future Medical Care – Surgeries: Includes planned future surgeries or therapeutic procedures (injections, RFAs), as well as associated costs.
Medications: This section includes current and expected medications over the evaluee’s life expectancy. We typically include costs for brand and generic.
Equipment and Supplies: This section includes current and expected equipment and supplies as prescribed for the patient.
Diagnostic Testing: This section should include any diagnostic testing necessary for a patient as a result of the accident or injury.
Home Care/Facility Care: Supervision via a personal care attendant, RN, LPN, or other health care worker is valued based on number of expected hours of treatment.
Aids for Independent Function and Transportation: These are items that allow a patient to operate as independently as possible and may include transportation needs.
Architectural Renovations and Modifications: Depending on the severity of the injury, there may need to be an assessment for architectural renovations or home modification.
Orthotics and Prosthetics: This section is specific to patients with amputations, as well as bracing needed for increased functional ability.
Potential Complications: In life care planning potential complications should be assessed.
Vocational Assessment: Some Life Care Plans include a Vocational Rehabilitation Assessment.
Although Life Care Plans can vary in structure, these are some of the sections that you would find in a Life Care Plan.
We offer complimentary consultations concerning "hypothetical matters".
To strategize with one of our vocational experts or life care plan experts at Stokes & Associates please call David Barrett at 504-454-5009, visit our website, www.stokes-associates.com or email dbarrett@stokes-associates.com.
Larry S. Stokes, Ph.D.
Aaron Wolfson, Ph.D.
Lacy Sapp, Ph.D.
Todd Capielano, M.Ed., LRC, CRC, LPC, CLC