BACKGROUND: Early provider-patient communication about future care is critical for patients with heart failure (HF); however, advance care planning (ACP) discussions are often avoided or occur too late to usefully inform care over the course of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To identify opportunities for physicians to engage in ACP discussions and to characterize physicians' responses to these opportunities. DESIGN: Qualitative study of audio-recorded outpatient clinic visits. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-two patients≥65 years recently hospitalized for HF with one or more post-discharge follow-up outpatient visits, and their physicians (n=44), at two Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. APPROACH: Using content analysis methods, we analyzed and coded transcripts of outpatient follow-up visits for 1) patient statements pertaining to their future health or their future physical, psychosocial and spiritual/existential care needs, and 2) subsequent physician responses to patient statements, using an iterative consensus-based coding process. RESULTS: In 13 of 71 consultations, patients expressed concerns, questions, and thoughts regarding their future care that gave providers opportunities to engage in an ACP discussion. The majority of these opportunities (84%) were missed by physicians. Instead, physicians responded by terminating the conversation, hedging their responses, denying the patient's expressed emotion, or inadequately acknowledging the sentiment underlying the patient's statement. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians often missed the opportunity to engage in ACP despite openers patients provided that could have prompted such discussions. Communication training efforts should focus on helping physicians identify patient openers and providing a toolbox to encourage appropriate physician responses; in order to successfully leverage opportunities to engage in ACP discussions.KEY WORDS: qualitative research; advance care planning; heart failure; physician-patient communication.
Chart orders to limit therapy are common, but physician-resident discussions about life-sustaining treatments are not. Far more family members than residents report such discussions with the resident's physicians.
Breast cancer incidence increases with age, but many older women do not receive appropriate mammography screening. A tool to support provider decision-making holds potential to help providers and patients reach the best-informed decisions possible. We developed and tested a decision aid (DA) for healthcare providers to use in mammography screening recommendations in older women. Literature review, expert opinion, focus groups, and pilot testing of the DA were conducted in a university ambulatory geriatrics practice. Provider evaluations of the DA after piloting were collected and analyzed. Geriatricians reported important factors in decision-making included patient life-expectancy, preferences, cognitive function, and individualization. Geriatricians reported the DA would have helped them make recommendations for mammography screening in 66% of pilot cases. It was less helpful when there was more certainty regarding decision-making.
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