COMPARISON OF ADVANCE CARE PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR CRITICALLY ILL PATIENT?S WELL-BEING: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Ibrahim Khalid Abdulal*, Mohammed Saad Althobatii, Rawan Nasser Asiri, Ahmed Azhar Alaqqad, Layan Wajdi Sindi, Raed Abbas Serafi, Abdullah Khaled Abusulaiman, Sara Waleed Hefni, Asma Khalid Alamoudi and Kholoud Mohammed Bamookrah

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of different advance Care Planning (ACP) strategies in improving patient outcomes, particularly in critically ill populations.

Methods: A thorough search across four databases identified 565 relevant publications. After removing duplicates using Rayyan QCRI and screening for relevance, the search yielded 244 publications, of which 34 full-text articles were reviewed, and 5 met the eligibility criteria for evidence synthesis.

Results: We included 5 studies with a total of 679 patients and more than half of them 361 (53.2%) were females. The review included studies that demonstrated significant improvements in alignment between provided care and patient preferences, enhanced communication, and increased patient and family satisfaction. Some studies noted that ACP facilitated better understanding of patient wishes, leading to more personalized and appropriate care interventions. However, results varied depending on the patient population and the specifics of the ACP intervention.

Conclusion: ACP is beneficial in managing end-of-life care for critically ill patients. Healthcare systems should consider integrating structured ACP discussions as a standard part of care for patients with serious illnesses. Further research is needed to identify the most effective strategies for different patient populations and to explore the impact of ACP across a broader spectrum of clinical conditions.