A process that supports adults at any age or stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, life goals, and preferences regarding future medical care.

A process to support adults with serious or terminal illness in organizing and collecting medical, legal and financial documents; sharing preferences for when, where, and how they would like to die, as well as after-death choices.

A non-medical support person who offers practical, emotional and spiritual support as well as resources and end of life planning.

Hospice care focuses on quality of life when a cure is no longer possible, or the burdens of treatment outweigh the benefits. Hospice care is not just for cancer or for older people; it is for any serious illness at any age. Hospice care is an interdisciplinary team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the person’s and family/inner circle’s wishes and needs.

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient’s prognosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment

Federally Qualified Health Centers (also called Community Health Centers) were created under Medicare in 1991 when Section 1861(aa) of the Social Security act was amended by Section 4161 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. FQHCs are safety net providers that primarily provide outpatient services. FQHCs may be rural or urban and may be operated by a tribe. In Oregon, the organizing body for FQHCs is the Oregon Primary Care Association (OPCA).

The RHC program was established by Public Law 95-210, the Rural Health Clinic Service Act, in 1977 to increase primary care services for Medicaid and Medicare patients in rural communities. RHCs receive special Medicare and Medicaid rates, depending on the type of services that the clinic provides and the payer mix of the patient population. RHCs may operate as public, private, or non-profit entities. The national organizing body for RHCs is the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC).