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Table 3 Recommended ACP discussion topics

From: Attitudes to specialist palliative care and advance care planning in people with COPD: a multi-national survey of palliative and respiratory medicine specialists

 

Resp Med

Pall Med

ACP topics

 The utility of CPR in the future

159 (89.8%)

249 (94.7%)

 Mechanical ventilation and/or ICU admission in the future

164 (92.7%)

241 (91.6%)

 What palliative care is and if this is indicated

139 (78.5%)

246 (93.5%)

 What death and dying might be like from COPD

97 (54.8%)

200 (76.0%)

 The likely prognosis in months and years

100 (56.5%)

191 (72.6%)

 Changing treatment goals to be palliative

111 (62.7%)

191 (72.6%)

 Appointing a medical power of attorney or substitute decision maker

123 (69.5%)

185 (70.3%)

 Other treatment limitations

4 (2.3%)

20 (7.6%)

Other suggested topics

 Desired place of future care (home/hospital/hospice)

0

39 (14.8%)

 Desired place of death

0

37 (14.1%)

 The patient’s goals, values, wishes, hopes & fears

2 (1.1%)

27 (10.3%)

 Ascertain the patient’s understanding and knowledge first

3 (1.7%)

4 (1.5%)

 Patient led discussion

0

22 (8.4%)

 Future wishes regarding antibiotics

3 (1.7%)

10 (3.8%)

 Future wishes regarding NIV

3 (1.7%)

9 (3.4%)

 Advance treatment directives

0

12 (4.6%)

 Making a will or arranging affairs

1 (0.6%

7 (2.7%)

  1. Data are represented as frequencies with proportions of the total group (n = 177) in parentheses
  2. CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ICU Intensive Care Unit, NIV Non-invasive ventilation