Implementing Advance Care Planning Conversation Tools in Family Practice

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Frail Elderly Syndrome; Chronic Disease
• Interventions: Behavioral: Advance care planning tools

• Registration Number: NCT03508557
• Lead Sponsor: McMaster University

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the use of advance care planning conversation tools with patients attending their family doctor's office. Patients complete tools about their values and wishes, and a health care provider uses a structured discussion tool to talk about the patient's health condition and future wishes. The patient's family member/substitute decision-maker is encouraged to attend and be part of the discussions.

Detailed Description

Structured tools are helpful for advance care planning. Tools have been developed to help with advance care planning because it is a process which has multiple steps and people involved. This study will help health care teams in primary care learn to use the tools with frail or older seriously ill patients and will evaluate the perceptions of patients, family members and health care providers, as well as the impact of having the discussions on subsequent health care interactions the patient has.

Patients complete tools about their values and wishes, and a health care provider uses a structured discussion tool to talk about the patient's health condition and future wishes. The patient's family member/substitute decision-maker is encouraged to attend and be part of the discussions.

Basic Information
|
Recruitment & Eligibility
|
Study & Design
|
Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2018-04-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-04-16
• Study First Posted: 2018-04-25
• Study Start: 2018-06-01
• Primary Completion: 2020-09-30
• Study Completion: 2020-10-30
• Status Verified: 2022-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-01-17
• Last Update Posted: 2022-01-19

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

• age 60 or older
• chronic condition that may reduce life expectancy as per physician's clinical judgement
• able to communicate verbally in English and read English

Read More

Exclusion Criteria

• unable to communicate verbally in English
• unable to read English
• cognitively unable to give informed consent (e.g. memory problems) as judged by referring physician or research assistant

Read More

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Advance care planning tools	Advance care planning tools	Advance care planning education and structured conversation using tools

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Advance care planning engagement	12 weeks	Survey measuring domains of engagement in advance care planning

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Patient experience	12 weeks	survey of patient experience with intervention
Advance care planning engagement-substitute decision maker	12 weeks	survey measuring substitute decision maker domains of engagement in advance care planning
Patient perceived impact on health care	6-9 months	qualitative interviews of patients asking perceived impact of intervention on later health care use

Trial Locations

Locations (4)

Vancouver General Hospital Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre; 🇨🇦 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

New Westminster Family Practice; 🇨🇦 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Safa Medical Clinic; 🇨🇦 Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Sunridge Family Medicine Teaching Centre; 🇨🇦 Calgary, Alberta, Canada