Advance Care Planning in A Preoperative Clinic: A Retrospective Chart Review

Abstract

Patients seen in preoperative testing clinics are at an increased risk of surgical complications and most are incapacitated for during anesthesia. Advance directives (ADs) are important to guide care in the event of emergencies when patients are unable to speak for themselves. The goal of this study was to determine the frequency with which ADs are completed for patients seen in preoperative clinics prior to elective surgery and identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with having ADs available in the electronic medical record (EMR).