Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations

<p><strong>Context:</strong> Globally, populations are ageing, with people increasingly likely to die with chronic progressive illness. In this context, there is widespread interest in advance care planning (ACP), where people are supported to think about and express preferences co...

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Main Authors: Josie Dixon, Martin Knapp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: LSE Press 2019-10-01
Series:Journal of Long-Term Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/articles/7
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author Josie Dixon
Martin Knapp
author_facet Josie Dixon
Martin Knapp
author_sort Josie Dixon
collection DOAJ
description <p><strong>Context:</strong> Globally, populations are ageing, with people increasingly likely to die with chronic progressive illness. In this context, there is widespread interest in advance care planning (ACP), where people are supported to think about and express preferences concerning their future care. However, to date there has been limited systematic implementation.</p><p><strong>Objectives:</strong> In a purposive sample of 12 international health and care organisations working to provide system-wide ACP support, we examined organisational aims, leaders’ perspectives on the economic case and promising approaches for efficiently delivering ACP support at scale.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> In-depth qualitive interviews (average 13 in each organisation) with leaders, ACP specialists and front-line staff.</p><p><strong>Findings:</strong> Organisational aims for ACP support were multiple and complex; they included optimizing patient and family care, supporting staff and mitigating risks of complaints from bereaved families, reputational damage, poor staff morale and potential legal challenges. The economic case comprised intrinsic benefits for patients, families and staff; averting costs associated with potential risks; and making best use of resources by reducing reactive care and provision of unwanted, low-value treatments. A degree of staff specialism, team-based delivery, use of decision aids, group-based facilitations, public health approaches and supportive parallel system changes and initiatives appear likely to support the efficient and effective delivery of ACP support at scale.</p><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> We recruited organisations using snowball sampling. Quantitative information was inquired about to complement data from interviews but availability was limited.</p><p><strong>Implications:</strong> ACP support may be usefully understood as both an individual- and system-level intervention. We identify various approaches for delivering ACP support more efficiently at scale.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-9cb155b13d7748a38a9fc765758b34e62023-01-04T15:00:29ZengLSE PressJournal of Long-Term Care2516-91222019-10-010201910.31389/jltc.713Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare OrganisationsJosie Dixon0Martin Knapp1London School of Economics and Political ScienceLondon School of Economics and Political Science<p><strong>Context:</strong> Globally, populations are ageing, with people increasingly likely to die with chronic progressive illness. In this context, there is widespread interest in advance care planning (ACP), where people are supported to think about and express preferences concerning their future care. However, to date there has been limited systematic implementation.</p><p><strong>Objectives:</strong> In a purposive sample of 12 international health and care organisations working to provide system-wide ACP support, we examined organisational aims, leaders’ perspectives on the economic case and promising approaches for efficiently delivering ACP support at scale.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> In-depth qualitive interviews (average 13 in each organisation) with leaders, ACP specialists and front-line staff.</p><p><strong>Findings:</strong> Organisational aims for ACP support were multiple and complex; they included optimizing patient and family care, supporting staff and mitigating risks of complaints from bereaved families, reputational damage, poor staff morale and potential legal challenges. The economic case comprised intrinsic benefits for patients, families and staff; averting costs associated with potential risks; and making best use of resources by reducing reactive care and provision of unwanted, low-value treatments. A degree of staff specialism, team-based delivery, use of decision aids, group-based facilitations, public health approaches and supportive parallel system changes and initiatives appear likely to support the efficient and effective delivery of ACP support at scale.</p><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> We recruited organisations using snowball sampling. Quantitative information was inquired about to complement data from interviews but availability was limited.</p><p><strong>Implications:</strong> ACP support may be usefully understood as both an individual- and system-level intervention. We identify various approaches for delivering ACP support more efficiently at scale.</p>https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/articles/7advance care planning, chronic conditions, chronic illness, multi-morbidity, end of life care, end-of-life caredementia, personalization, population health, cost-effectiveness, health economics
spellingShingle Josie Dixon
Martin Knapp
Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations
Journal of Long-Term Care
advance care planning, chronic conditions, chronic illness, multi-morbidity, end of life care, end-of-life care
dementia, personalization, population health, cost-effectiveness, health economics
title Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations
title_full Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations
title_fullStr Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations
title_full_unstemmed Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations
title_short Delivering Advance Care Planning Support at Scale: A Qualitative Interview Study in Twelve International Healthcare Organisations
title_sort delivering advance care planning support at scale a qualitative interview study in twelve international healthcare organisations
topic advance care planning, chronic conditions, chronic illness, multi-morbidity, end of life care, end-of-life care
dementia, personalization, population health, cost-effectiveness, health economics
url https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/articles/7
work_keys_str_mv AT josiedixon deliveringadvancecareplanningsupportatscaleaqualitativeinterviewstudyintwelveinternationalhealthcareorganisations
AT martinknapp deliveringadvancecareplanningsupportatscaleaqualitativeinterviewstudyintwelveinternationalhealthcareorganisations