Advance care planning in a community setting.

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Advance care planning (ACP) is crucial for ensuring patient-centered end-of-life care.
• Implementing ACP processes requires effective training for healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an implemented advance care planning process in North Ayrshire pilot sites.
• To assess the effectiveness of ACP training for professionals caring for patients with palliative needs.

Main Methods:

• Data collection via questionnaires from ACP training participants.
• Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders.
• Audit of relevant documentation.

Main Results:

• High participant rating (96%) of improved understanding of ACP post-training.
• General consensus on the value of advance care planning.
• Reported patient success in achieving preferred end-of-life care and increased consultation on hospitalization.

Conclusions:

• ACP training enhanced professionals' capacity to implement ACP.
• Training improved the documentation of patient and resident wishes.
• The pilot demonstrated a positive effect on patient-centered care delivery.