Advance directives reduce burdensome end-of-life care by up to 25%, according to a study published in JAGS.
Advance directives are legal documents that allow patients to specify their medical preferences for future care, including at the end of life. A recent analysis conducted by researchers from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) has shed light on how these directives can impact end-of-life care outcomes.
The study analyzed data from older adults who had uploaded advance directives into their electronic health records (EHRs). It found that patients with an advanced directive in place at least six months prior to death were significantly less likely to experience potentially burdensome end-of-life care. Specifically, these patients were 25% less likely to undergo such care compared to those without a directive (19.9% versus 26.8%).
Moreover, the study revealed that individuals with an advance directive in their EHRs had a lower likelihood of dying in the hospital. This statistic showed that patients with an advanced directive were 31% less likely to die in the hospital setting compared to those without one (23.2% versus 32.1%).
These findings underscore the importance of having an advance directive and ensuring it is properly documented within a patient's EHR system. By doing so, healthcare providers can better align care with patients' wishes, potentially improving quality of life during their final days.
As more hospitals and clinics adopt electronic health records, integrating advance directives into these systems could become increasingly common, leading to improved end-of-life outcomes for many older adults.
