Michael J Green, Lauren J Van Scoy, Andrew J Foy, Renee R Stewart, Ramya Sampath, Jane R Schubart, Erik B Lehman, Anne E F Dimmock, Ashley M Bucher, Lisa S Lehmann, Alyssa F Harlow, Chengwu Yang, Benjamin H Levi
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 2 strategies for preparing family members for surrogate decision-making. DESIGN: A 2 × 2 factorial, randomized controlled trial testing whether: (1) comprehensive online advance care planning (ACP) is superior to basic ACP, and (2) having patients engage in ACP together with family members is superior to ACP done by patients alone. SETTING: Tertiary care centers in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Boston, Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Dyads of patients with advanced, severe illness (mean age 64; 46% female; 72% white) and family members who would be their surrogate decision-makers (mean age 56; 75% female; 75% white)...
June 2018: American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care