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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03508557

Implementing Advance Care Planning Conversation Tools in Family Practice

This study evaluates the use of advance care planning conversation tools with patients attending their family doctor's office. Patients complete tools about their values and wishes, and a health care provider uses a structured discussion tool to talk about the patient's health condition and future wishes. The patient's family member/substitute decision-maker is encouraged to attend and be part of the discussions.

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Key information

Conditions

Frail Elderly Syndrome Chronic Disease Disease Attributes Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Age range

60 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sunridge Family Medicine Teaching Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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About this study

Structured tools are helpful for advance care planning. Tools have been developed to help with advance care planning because it is a process which has multiple steps and people involved. This study will help health care teams in primary care learn to use the tools with frail or older seriously ill patients and will evaluate the perceptions of patients, family members and health care providers, as well as the impact of having the discussions on subsequent health care interactions the patient has.

Patients complete tools about their values and wishes, and a health care provider uses a structured discussion tool to talk about the patient's health condition and future wishes. The patient's family member/substitute decision-maker is encouraged to attend and be part of the discussions.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • age 60 or older
  • chronic condition that may reduce life expectancy as per physician's clinical judgement
  • able to communicate verbally in English and read English

Exclusion criteria

  • unable to communicate verbally in English
  • unable to read English
  • cognitively unable to give informed consent (e.g. memory problems) as judged by referring physician or research assistant

Treatment and study plan

Advance care planning tools

Behavioral

Structured conversations between patients/substitute decision-maker and clinician based on education about advance care planning using locally relevant booklet/website, values clarification tool for patient engagement, clinician use of the Serious Illness Conversation Guide

Primary outcomes

  1. Advance care planning engagement

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    Survey measuring domains of engagement in advance care planning

Secondary outcomes

  1. Advance care planning engagement-substitute decision maker

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    survey measuring substitute decision maker domains of engagement in advance care planning

  2. Patient experience

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    survey of patient experience with intervention

  3. Patient perceived impact on health care

    Time frame: 6-9 months

    qualitative interviews of patients asking perceived impact of intervention on later health care use

Other outcomes

  1. Clinician experience of intervention

    Time frame: 6 months

    survey of clinician experience using conversation tools

  2. Clinician confidence having advance care planning conversations

    Time frame: 6 months

    survey of clinician confidence, satisfaction

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

McMaster University

Other

Collaborators

  • Canadian Frailty Network

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Apr 25, 2018
Registry last updated
Jan 19, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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