Researchers recently published a study in the American Heart Association (AHA) Rapid Access Journal Report, stating that patients who have advanced heart failure may be helped by a video explaining their end-of-life care choices.
Research shows that after these patients watched the video, they had higher chances of turning down invasive, life-prolonging care in favor of comfort care. They also showed more knowledge about the level of care they needed. Finally, they were more likely to start talking to their doctor about advance care planning.
“Because the course of heart failure is uncertain -- in part because of improved therapies -- doctors may be reluctant to initiate a conversation with their patients about advance care planning,” Dr. Areej El-Jawahri, lead author of the study, said. “We found that when patients were better informed, it’s easier for them and their doctors to discuss end-of-life issues.”
El-Jawahri is also the director of the bone marrow transplant survivorship program at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and a member of the Video Images of Disease for Ethical Outcomes (VIDEO) Consortium.
The study involved 246 patients with advanced heart failure. The average age of the patients was 81 years old. In seven different hospitals in the U.S., all of the patients had verbal explanations of end-of-life care options. Half of the patients then watched a video, which lasted six minutes, that included further explanations as well as pictures.
“In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words,” El-Jawahri said. “After watching the video, patients have a much better sense of what procedures and therapies align with their own preferences and values.”
