For the study, researchers interviewed 350 veterans 55 years of age or older. Researchers conducted separate interviews with the individuals identified by the veterans as their decision-making surrogates. More than 40 percent of the patient-surrogate pairs said the veterans had not communicated their end-of-life care wishes to their surrogates. Additionally, only 20 percent of surrogates accurately responded to inquiries about the patient’s preferences regarding life-sustaining treatment.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox
“You can’t assume advanced care planning achieves the goal of making sure the surrogate understands what the patient wants,” said Terri Fried, MD, a professor of geriatric medicine at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and the study’s lead author. “Planning needs to include a facilitated discussion between the patient and the surrogate to make sure they are hearing each other and talking about things that are important to the patient.”
More articles on quality:
Atrial fibrillation patients taking digoxin have increased risk of death
Hospital patient mortality drops during Joint Commission surveys, study finds
Leapfrog Group updates 2017 hospital survey: 5 changes
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
