scholarly journals The Feasibility and Effectiveness of Web-Based Advance Care Planning Programs: Scoping Review

10.2196/15578 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e15578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris van der Smissen ◽  
Anouk Overbeek ◽  
Sandra van Dulmen ◽  
Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen ◽  
Agnes van der Heide ◽  
...  

Background Advance care planning (ACP) is a process with the overall aim to enhance care in concordance with patients’ preferences. Key elements of ACP are to enable persons to define goals and preferences for future medical treatment and care, to discuss these with family and health care professionals, and to document and review these if appropriate. ACP is usually conducted through personal conversations between a health care professional, a patient, and—if appropriate—family members. Although Web-based ACP programs have the potential to support patients in ACP, their effectiveness is unknown. Objective This study aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of Web-based, interactive, and person-centered ACP programs. Methods We systematically searched for quantitative and qualitative studies evaluating Web-based, interactive, and person-centered ACP programs in seven databases including EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central and Google Scholar. Data on the characteristics of the ACP programs’ content (using a predefined list of 10 key elements of ACP), feasibility, and effectiveness were extracted using a predesigned form. Results Of 3434 titles and abstracts, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria, evaluating 11 Web-based ACP programs—10 were developed in the United States and one in Ireland. Studied populations ranged from healthy adults to patients with serious conditions. Programs typically contained the exploration of goals and values (8 programs), exploration of preferences for treatment and care (11 programs), guidance for communication about these preferences with health care professionals or relatives (10 programs), and the possibility to generate a document in which preferences can be recorded (8 programs). Reportedly, participants were satisfied with the ACP programs (11/11 studies), considering them as easy to use (8/8 studies) and not burdensome (7/8 studies). Designs of 13 studies allowed evaluating the effectiveness of five programs. They showed that ACP programs significantly increased ACP knowledge (8/8 studies), improved communication between patients and their relatives or health care professionals (6/6 studies), increased ACP documentation (6/6 studies), and improved concordance between care as preferred by the patients and the decisions of clinicians and health care representatives (2/3 studies). Conclusions Web-based, interactive, and person-centered ACP programs were mainly developed and evaluated in the United States. They contained the key elements of ACP, such as discussing and documenting goals and preferences for future care. As participants considered programs as easy to use and not burdensome, they appeared to be feasible. Among the 13 studies that measured the effectiveness of programs, improvement in ACP knowledge, communication, and documentation was reported. The concordance between preferred and received care is yet understudied. Studies with high-quality study designs in different health care settings are warranted to further establish the feasibility and effectiveness of Web-based ACP programs.

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 200-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Greene

In the United States, discussing end-of-life wishes and preferences has been taboo ever since death and dying moved from a stage of life to a medical condition. This article describes the transformative nature of a Minnesota health care initiative, Honoring Choices Minnesota (HCM). As the world’s largest nongovernmental, voluntary community-centered initiative, HCM is changing the culture around speaking of death and dying, one conversation at a time.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Thoresen ◽  
Reidar Pedersen ◽  
Lillian Lillemoen ◽  
Elisabeth Gjerberg ◽  
Reidun Førde

Abstract Background 52% of all deaths in Norway occur in nursing homes. Still advance care planning (ACP) is scarce and heterogeneous. To improve the implementation and practice of ACP in nursing homes, knowledge about health care professionals’ views on ACP is vital. The objective of this study is to explore nurses and physicians’ aims and experiences with carrying out ACP in nursing homes. Methods Semi-structured group interviews were conducted with 20 health care professionals, recruited from nursing homes where ACP was performed regularly. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results The primary aim of the nursing home professionals when doing ACP in nursing homes were to build alliances with next of kin to avoid misunderstandings and future conflicts. Two main experiences with ACP were described: i) due to the sensitivity of ACP issues, it was important to balance directness with being sensitive, and ii) when the physicians raised questions concerning future medical treatment, the answers from residents as well as next of kin were often hesitant and unclear. Conclusion Our study add insights into how ACP is practiced in nursing homes and the professionals’ agenda. A focus on medical issues and achieving consensus with next of kin may result in lack of involvement of the residents and limited awareness of the residents’ needs. Interdisciplinary approaches, ACP-training and tailored guidelines may improve the implementation and practice of ACP.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 479-488
Author(s):  
Ghaith A. Bani Melhem ◽  
Debra C. Wallace ◽  
Judith A. Adams ◽  
Ratchneewan Ross ◽  
S. Sudha

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara A. Jack ◽  
Tracy K. Mitchell ◽  
Mary R. O’Brien ◽  
Sergio A. Silverio ◽  
Katherine Knighting

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Grundy ◽  
Jane Goodwin ◽  
Elaine McLardy

Background: Fundamental to the concept of Advance Care Planning (ACP) is empowering individuals and communities to recognise death as an inevitable part of life.Methods: ACP facilitators and clinical champions in the Canterbury region of New Zealand have been very active in engaging the community. This has occurred through consumer presentations, the creation of specific pages on the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) consumer information website (HealthInfo) and support of the National ACP awareness campaign ‘Conversations that Count’.Results: ‘Consumer power’ has been invaluable in driving the uptake of ACP in the CDHB. A survey of 49 GPs in 2015 found many were reluctant to start ACP conversations or felt they ‘did not have time’. The turning point was the realisation that patients are not only wanting but are actively asking to have these important conversations and to create Advance Care Plans (ACPlans). 1200 electronic ACPlans have now now been created in Canterbury, with 80% generated in primary care.The ACP pages on HealthInfo are consistently in the top 20 pages viewed each month which indicates that the community is seeking information and wanting to take control. Uptake and demand for consumer presentations and ‘Conversations that Count’ resources also continues to grow year on year.Discussion: Increased awareness and understanding of ACP gives people the opportunity to think and frame their reasoning, so they are better prepared to have well informed discussions with health care professionals. It helps them be clearer in their mind about their own limits and concerns. It is important for people to consider the question - “what is O.K for me and what isn’t?”. In this context, ACP conversations can be seen as preventative medicine.Patients need to be as well equipped as possible to be active participants in healthcare decisions, especially regarding end of life. Through the ACP process, unnecessary suffering, confusion and conflict can be reduced or prevented and unwanted or  burdensome treatment that is not in line with their goals and priorities can be averted.Conclusion: Valuing and honouring a person’s participation in their health care decision-making is important for all healthcare organisations. Prioritising ACP is an effective way of making this happen. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1091-1098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances R. Nedjat-Haiem ◽  
Iraida V. Carrion ◽  
Krystyna Gonzalez ◽  
Elizabeth D. Bennett ◽  
Kathleen Ell ◽  
...  

Advance care planning (ACP) does not readily occur in medical settings and often gets missed. Older Latinos need ACP information to encourage advance directive (AD) completion indicating preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care. Objective: To explore the experiences with counseling using motivational interviewing (MI) techniques and social workers to encourage ACP communication among older Latinos with advance chronic diseases. This study describes stages of readiness to plan for EOL care. Design: We conducted a qualitative study with older Latinos who participated in a community-based intervention in Southern New Mexico. Methods: Participants in the intervention were selected because they received ACP education plus counseling involving MI to address resistance to ACP. Motivational interviewing counseling involved the following: (1) engaging in structured dialogue about ACP, (2) using and completing AD documentation, (3) encouraging ACP communication with providers and families, and (4) applying AD information into actionable behavior. We utilized a constant comparative method and thematic analysis to explore the meaning of older Latinos’ experiences with MI counseling and stages of change. Results: Participants (n = 32) were mostly women (74.3%), half born in the United States and half from Mexico in the United States on average for 31.75 (standard deviation 16.22) years. Many had less than sixth grade education (31.3%) or had not completed high school (21.9%). Key themes indicate the following stages of change: (1) precontemplation, (2) contemplation, (3) preparation, (4) ACP action, and (5) maintenance. Conclusion: This study contributes to the literature by identifying areas for adaption to enhance understanding and increase information to ultimately achieve the completion of ACP among Latinos.


Dementia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther-Ruth Beck ◽  
Sonja McIlfatrick ◽  
Felicity Hasson ◽  
Gerry Leavey

This paper provides an overview of the evidence on the perspective of health care professionals (HCPs) in relation to advance care planning (ACP) for people with dementia, residing in long-term care settings. A narrative approach was adopted to provide a comprehensive synthesis of previously published literature in the area. A systematic literature search identified 14 papers for inclusion. Following review of the studies four themes were identified for discussion; Early integration and planning for palliative care in dementia; HCPs ethical and moral concerns regarding ACP; Communication challenges when interacting with the person with dementia and their families and HCPs need for education and training. Despite evidence, that HCPs recognise the potential benefits of ACP, they struggle with its implementation in this setting. Greater understanding of dementia and the concept of ACP is required to improve consistency in practice. Synthesising the existing evidence will allow for further understanding of the key issues, potentially resulting in improved implementation in practice.


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