The impact of advance care planning on end of life care in elderly patients: randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the impact of advance care planning on end of life care in elderly patients.

Design

Prospective randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Single centre study in a university hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Participants

309 legally competent medical inpatients aged 80 or more and followed for six months or until death.

Interventions

Participants were randomised to receive usual care or usual care plus facilitated advance care planning. Advance care planning aimed to assist patients to reflect on their goals, values, and beliefs; to consider future medical treatment preferences; to appoint a surrogate; and to document their wishes.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was whether a patient's end of life wishes were known a

SUBMITTER: Detering KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2844949 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature