Improving advanced care planning for late-stage cancer

Improving advanced care planning for late-stage cancer 
Medical Xpress; by Melissa Rohman; 6/24/24 
Multilevel care interventions improved clinician–documented advanced care planning (ACP) compared with a clinician-level intervention alone for patients with genitourinary cancer, according to findings published in JAMA Oncology. "Clinicians often have limited time to assist patients in fully understanding ACP. This intervention is one approach to improve ACP and care delivery among patients with advanced stages of genitourinary cancer," said Gladys M. Rodriguez, MD, MS, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and lead author of the study. For patients diagnosed with late-stage cancer, ACP can help reduce unnecessary acute care, increase palliative care and improve quality of life. However, previous reports have found that less than 20% of patients will engage in ACP with their health care providers. ... The primary outcome was ACP documentation in the electronic health record by the patient's oncology clinician within 12 months. Secondary outcomes included shared decision-making, palliative care use, hospice use, emergency department visits and hospitalizations within 12 months.