Are we measuring what matters most? ACP completion among patients undergoing gastrostomy tube placement (10 February 2024)

Summary

This study examines the prevalence of advanced care planning (ACP) for patients undergoing endoscopic, fluoroscopic, laparoscopic or open surgical gastrostomy tube procedures at an academic hospital in the USA.

The authors found that only 10.6% of included patients had accessible ACP documents available within their electronic medical record (EMR) and that Black patients had lower rates of ACP documentation. They also highlight an association between ACP documentation and decreased hospital length of stay, with no difference in mortality. The authors recommend the expansion of ACP in perioperative settings.