Coda Alliance : Coda Alliance Guiding Principles

Although we believe that death and dying are a natural part of the life cycle, we know that our society generally avoids talking about it until it becomes a crisis situation. We also believe that education can help reduce fear and avoidance of the subject and provide the opportunity for meaningful discussion so end of life wishes can be known and honored by surviving loved ones.

With that in mind, the following principles are the foundation of our work:

• We believe everyone should be able to experience comfort, dignity and meaning at the end of their life.
• Quality end of life care includes the medical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the dying person and support for the needs of the family members.
• Individuals and their loved ones have the right to know all the options available to them before they make end of life decisions. These options include, but are not limited to, benefits and burdens of various treatment options, hospice care, the right to refuse a variety of treatments, withdrawal of treatment, and comfort measures.
• We encourage conversations, before a crisis, so family members can be better prepared and feel that the patient's life came to an end in a way that honored their values and goals.
• We respect that various cultures and faiths address death and dying differently and do not promote a "one size fits all" philosophy.
• We will work collaboratively to partner with the various care giving segments of our community including healthcare practitioners and institutions, hospices, faith based organizations, and many others.
• We believe that an informed public will demand systems changes in our healthcare institutions, insurance carriers, and related legislation and financial priorities.

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