How Do General Practitioners Conceptualise Advance Care Planning in Their Practice? A Qualitative Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To explore how GPs conceptualise advance care planning (ACP), based on their experiences with ACP in their practice.

Methods

Five focus groups were held with 36 GPs. Discussions were analysed using a constant comparative method.

Results

Four overarching themes in the conceptualisations of ACP were discerned: (1) the organisation of professional care required to meet patients' needs, (2) the process of preparing for death and discussing palliative care options, (3) the discussion of care goals and treatment decisions, (4) the completion of advance directives. Within these themes, ACP was both conceptualised in terms of content of ACP and/or in terms of tasks for the GP. A specific task that was mentioned throughout the discussion of the four different themes

SUBMITTER: De Vleminck A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4838248 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature