Structured Abstract

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Key Informants
• Peer Reviewers
• Background
• Guiding Questions
• Methods
  • Discussion With Key Informants
  • Gray Literature Search
  • Published Literature Search
  • Data Organization and Presentation
• Findings
  • Description of Existing Decision Aids for ACP
  • Evidence Map
• Summary and Implications
  • Important Issues Raised by the Technology (Guiding Question 4)
• Next Steps
• References
• Appendix A Interview Guides for Key Informants
• Appendix B Published Literature Search Strategy
• Appendix C Organization Web sites Searched for Gray Literature
• Appendix D Evidence Tables
• Appendix E Examples of Advanced Care Planning Tools That Did Not Meet Definition of Decision Aid

Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services¹, Contract No. 290-2012-00016-I. Prepared by: Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center, Minneapolis, MN

Suggested citation:

Butler M, Ratner E, McCreedy E, Shippee N, Kane RL. Decision Aids for Advance Care Planning. Technical Brief No. 16. (Prepared by the Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2012-00016-I.) AHRQ Publication No. 14-EHC039-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. July 2014. www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/reports/final.cfm.

This report is based on research conducted by the Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. 290-2012-00016-I). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision of clinical care should consider this report in the same way as any medical reference and in conjunction with all other pertinent information, i.e., in the context of available resources and circumstances presented by individual patients.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

This report may periodically be assessed for the urgency to update. If an assessment is done, the resulting surveillance report describing the methodology and findings will be found on the Effective Health Care Program Web site at: www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. Search on the title of the report.

None of the investigators have any affiliation or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report.

1

540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850; www​.ahrq.gov.