Preparing Surrogates for Decision-Making: Development and Pilot Testing of Prepare for Their Care.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Communication
• Patient Advocacy
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Surrogate decision-makers require enhanced preparation for medical communication and decision-making.
• Existing resources may not adequately equip surrogates for their critical roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and usability of an online program designed to prepare surrogates.
• To evaluate the impact of the program on surrogate engagement in advance care planning (ACP).

Main Methods:

• Development of a two-part online program, PREPARE For THEIR Care, with community input.
• Pilot testing with caregivers, utilizing validated surveys for feasibility, usability, and ACP engagement assessment.

Main Results:

• High user satisfaction reported, with ease-of-use rated 9.6/10.
• Significant improvements in pre- to post-program readiness for ACP engagement for both self and others.
• Participants found the program informative, comprehensive, and easy to use.

Conclusions:

• The PREPARE For THEIR Care program demonstrates high user satisfaction and improved surrogate readiness for ACP.
• Further large-scale trials are recommended to confirm the program's impact on surrogate readiness and confidence.