In a validation study for the I CAN DO Surgical ACP trial, researchers found that a single message delivered through the digital patient portal led to a meaningful increase in documentation of advance care planning among older patients scheduled for a new outpatient colorectal surgery clinic visit.
The article was published online ahead of print in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
The validation study showed that incorporating the patient portal message into the preoperative workflow increased documentation of advance care planning. Moreover, patients who uploaded their documentation to the EHR opened the portal message faster than patients who did not upload documentation, suggesting that surgery is an important time point for engaging patients in advance care planning.
I CAN DO Surgical ACP, an NIH Collaboratory Trial, is testing a system-based approach to helping older adults who are undergoing elective surgery to engage in advance care planning. Another goal of the study is to improve understanding of digital engagement, language, and social drivers of health that drive engagement in the intervention. The trial is supported by the National Institute on Aging.