A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Advance Care Planning Discussions during Preoperative Evaluations

2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise A. Grimaldo ◽  
Jeanine P. Wiener-Kronish ◽  
Tamara Jurson ◽  
Thomas E. Shaughnessy ◽  
J. Randall Curtis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Preoperative Evaluation ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Preoperative Evaluation Clinic

Background Although many patients and physicians support the concept of advance care planning, only a small percentage of patients actually have the necessary discussion with health care providers. Hospital-based physicians other than primary care providers often are needed to increase physician, patient, and proxy communication about advanced directives. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 5-10-min discussion designed to foster dialogue between patients and their proxies in a preoperative evaluation clinic. The discussions were lead by anesthesiologists. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted from September 1998 through May 1999 in a preoperative evaluation clinic at University of California, San Francisco, a tertiary care center. English-speaking patients aged 65 yr or older who were scheduled for elective surgery were randomized to receive a short information session stressing the importance of communication about end-of-life care between the patients and their proxies. Patients randomized to the control group received the standard preoperative anesthesia screening. An admitting counselor questioned all patients (control and intervention) about whether they have an advanced directive as part of the registration process before their arrival in clinic. Results The intervention significantly increased discussions about end-of-life care between patients and their proxies. Eighty seven percent of patients reported having discussions with their proxies as compared with only 66% of control patients (P = 0.001). The intervention also increased durable power of attorney completion rate to 27% as compared with 10% completion rate by controls. Conclusions The preoperative evaluation period can be an opportunity to encourage patient and proxy communication about end-of-life care.

Association Between Advance Directives and Quality of End-of-Life Care (DRAFT)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna S. Zhukovsky
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Advance Directives ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Advance Care

Advance care planning is a complex process whereby an individual reflects on future care options at the end of life after reflecting on his or her values and goals for care. These values, goals, and preferences are then communicated to key stakeholders in the process (i.e., proxy and surrogate decision-makers, family members, and health care providers). It is unclear how well the completion of advance directives and a written outcome of advance care planning affect desired patient outcomes. In this chapter, a critical review is provided of a mortality follow-back survey that evaluates the association of advance directives with quality of end-of-life care from the perspective of bereaved family members. Study strengths and limitations are described, as are directions for future research.

scholarly journals GPs’ perceptions of advance care planning with frail and older people: a qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (666) ◽  
pp. e44-e53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Sharp ◽  
Alexandra Malyon ◽  
Stephen Barclay
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Advance Care

BackgroundFrail and older people are estimated to account for 40% of deaths. Despite conversations about end-of-life care being an important component of the national End of Life Care Strategy, there is a marked disparity between the majority who would like to discuss advance care plans, and the minority who currently have this opportunity.AimTo investigate the attitudes of GPs to advance care planning (ACP) discussions with frail and older individuals.Design and settingFocus group study with GPs in Cambridgeshire between September 2015 and January 2016.MethodFive focus groups with 21 GPs were purposively sampled to maximise diversity. Framework analysis was used to analyse transcripts and develop themes.ResultsAlthough some GPs were concerned it might cause distress, the majority felt that raising ACP was important, especially as preparation for future emergencies. Knowing the individuals, introducing the idea as part of ongoing discussions, and public awareness campaigns were all facilitators identified. Several considered that service limitations made it difficult to fulfil patients’ wishes and risked raising unrealistic patient expectations. Other barriers identified included uncertainty over prognosis and difficulties ensuring that individuals’ wishes were respected.ConclusionMost GPs viewed ACP as important. However, their enthusiasm was tempered by experience. This study highlights the difficulties for GPs of encouraging dialogue and respecting individuals’ wishes within the constraints of the existing health and social care system. National publicity campaigns and encouraging patients to prioritise healthcare outcomes could help GPs raise care preferences without causing a detrimental impact on patients or raising unrealistic expectations. Once patients agree their care preferences, they need to be documented, accessible, and reviewed by all relevant health and social care providers to ensure that their wishes are respected, and plans amended as their circumstances change.

Nursing Home Resident, Family, and Staff Perspectives on Hospital Transfers for End-of-Life Care

2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282199770
Author(s):  
Janet Sopcheck ◽  
Ruth M. Tappen
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Advance Care

Residents who are terminally ill often experience transfers to the emergency department resulting in hospitalizations, which may be potentially avoidable with treatment in the nursing home. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of 15 residents, 10 family members, and 20 nursing home staff regarding end-of-life care and the circumstances prompting resident transfers. Data analysis of participant interviews conducted January to May 2019 in a South Florida nursing home identified four themes related to transfer to the hospital: time left to live, when aggressive treatments would be unavailing, not knowing what the nursing home can do, and transfer decisions are situation-dependent. Study findings underscore the importance of increasing resident and family awareness of treatments available in the nursing home and person-centered advance care planning discussions. Further research should explore the reasons for residents’ and family members’ choice of aggressive therapies and their goals for care at the end of life.

scholarly journals Unraveling the Effects of Social Class and Systemic Racism on Advance Care Planning

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 472-472
Author(s):  
Jenny McDonnell
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Black Americans ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Using Data

Abstract While advance care planning (ACP) is recognized as a key facilitator of high-quality, goal-concordant end-of-life care, black Americans are less likely to participate in ACP than non-Hispanic whites (Carr 2011; Detering et al. 2010). There are divided explanations for why these disparities persist. Some scholars attribute racial disparities in end-of-life care to socioeconomic (SES) differences between black and white Americans citing blacks’ and whites’ differentiated access to, control over, and use of material resources (Wilson 1978; Yearby 2011). Others assert that health care preferences do not solely reflect lack of resources or health literacy, but that the larger social context frames care preferences differently across racial and ethnic groups in American society (Alegria et al. 2011; Sewell and Pingel forthcoming). By turning the analytical lens to class-privileged black Americans, I investigate whether racism overflows the margins of class disadvantage. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, I ran logistic regression and moderation models. I found that class-privileged blacks are less likely to engage in ACP than both high-SES and low-SES whites. The interaction of race and SES was negatively and significantly associated with ACP (OR=0.91; P<0.05), indicating that SES has a stronger effect on the probability of ACP among whites than among blacks. Predicted probabilities show that 51% of low-SES whites are likely to engage in ACP compared to 32% of high-SES blacks. These findings indicate that racialized disparities in ACP exist independent of SES, and that the effects of SES and race are intersectional rather than simply additive.

545: END-OF-LIFE CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL COMPLEXITY: DOES ADVANCE CARE PLANNING MATTER?

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 213-213
Author(s):  
Danielle DeCourcey ◽  
Melanie Silverman ◽  
Adeolu Oladunjoye ◽  
Joanne Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Children With Medical Complexity ◽  
Medical Complexity ◽  
Advance Care
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document