What is this study trying to find out about advance care planning for elderly patients?

This study aims to evaluate how a support program can improve advance care planning for severely ill elderly patients admitted to hospital. It investigates how well the program helps involve patients and relatives in treatment decisions and the impact on communication, care quality, and costs. The research is led by the University of Oslo and involves Norwegian hospital units.

Who may be eligible for this advance care planning clinical trial?

Adults aged 70 or older who live at home and are acutely admitted to a participating geriatric hospital unit may qualify. Participants must understand Norwegian and be able to participate in advance care planning with a close relative. Both patient and relative must agree to join. Please review eligibility criteria for more details.

Is there any cost to participate in this advance care planning clinical trial?

Study-related care, including all visits and support for advance care planning, is provided at no cost. However, personal expenses such as travel may vary and are not guaranteed to be covered. Participants can expect to receive all necessary trial-related care without direct charges.

Actively Recruiting

Phase Not Applicable

Age: 70Years +

All Genders

ID05681585

Implementing Advance Care Planning for Severely Ill Elderly Patients in Hospital Geriatric Units A Cluster Randomized Study

Led by University of Oslo · Updated on 2025-04-06

2000

Participants Needed

Research Sites

100 weeks

Total Duration

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a complex intervention to improve advance care planning ACP for severely ill elderly people living at home who are acutely admitted to hospital. This cluster randomized study involves twelve Norwegian geriatric hospital units and aims to enhance patient and family involvement in treatment decisions, improve quality of life, and support ethical and legal care planning. The project also explores barriers and facilitators to implementing ACP at clinical, health service, and governmental levels, including economic analyses. The intervention group receives a comprehensive support program that includes leadership commitment, training for staff, implementation teams, ACP coordinators, and practical tools such as guidelines and documentation templates. The control group receives no implementation support during the trial but will be offered the program afterward. The study period includes baseline, 9-month, and 18-month assessments for the intervention group and baseline and 18-month assessments for the control group. Participants will undergo questionnaires and interviews with patients, relatives, clinicians, and staff at multiple time points before, during, and after the implementation. Data from patient records and national health registers will be collected to assess the fidelity of ACP implementation, clinical outcomes, communication quality, and cost-effectiveness. The trial runs until December 2026 and includes various measures to evaluate the impact of the support program on ACP delivery and related outcomes.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Advanced Care Planning for the Severely Ill Home-dwelling Elderly

Who Can Participate

Age: 70Years +

All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

You may qualify if you...

Patient is 70 years or older
Patient lives at home
Patient is acutely admitted to a participating geriatric hospital unit
Patient has sufficient Norwegian language skills to answer questionnaires
Patient has a clinical frailty score of 4 or higher
The responsible physician answers "no" to the "Surprise question" regarding the patient's prognosis
Both patient and a close relative agree to participate in advance care planning together
Both patient and close relative consent to participate in the research project
Relative is 18 years or older
Relative has sufficient Norwegian language skills to answer questionnaires
Relative is a close family member willing to participate in advance care planning with the patient

You will not qualify if you...

Patient is not competent to consent to research participation
Patient is expected to die within 24 hours
Patient has participated in advance care planning before the current hospital admission
In the intervention group: ACP is not conducted with patient, next of kin, and physician before discharge
In the intervention group: The clinician involved in ACP has not consented to research participation
In the control group: Patient would not be able to participate in ACP during hospitalization
In the control group: Attending clinician has not consented to research participation
Relative is not competent to consent to research participation
In the intervention group: ACP is not conducted with patient, next of kin, and attending clinician before discharge
In the control group: Relative would not be able to participate in ACP during hospitalization

Research Team

Reidar Pedersen, PhD

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Implementing Advance Care Planning for Severely Ill Elderly Patients in Hospital Geriatric Units A Cluster Randomized Study

On this page

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Brief Title

Who Can Participate

Eligibility Criteria

Research Team

Not the Right Trial for You?

On this page

Who Can Participate

Eligibility Criteria