PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Hillary D. Lum AU - Rebecca L. Sudore AU - Daniel D. Matlock AU - Elizabeth Juarez-Colunga AU - Jacqueline Jones AU - Molly Nowels AU - Robert S. Schwartz AU - Jean S. Kutner AU - Cari R. Levy TI - A Group Visit Initiative Improves Advance Care Planning Documentation among Older Adults in Primary Care AID - 10.3122/jabfm.2017.04.170036 DP - 2017 Jul 01 TA - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine PG - 480--490 VI - 30 IP - 4 4099 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/30/4/480.short 4100 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/30/4/480.full SO - J Am Board Fam Med2017 Jul 01; 30 AB - Introduction: Group visits for advance care planning (ACP) may help patients document preferences for decision makers and future care. We assessed the impact of a primary care-based ACP group visit (ACP-GV) intervention on older adults' ACP documentation and why patients participated.Methods: Older adults (>65 years) in primary care participated in a 2-session ACP-GV intervention that promotes group dynamics, peer-based learning, and goal setting. Charts were reviewed at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months for documentation of decision makers and ACP forms. We described patients' reasons for participating through analysis of transcripts.Results: 118 patients (mean age 76 years; 62% female and 82% white) participated in 16 ACP-GV cohorts. From baseline to 3-month follow-up, documentation of decision maker preferences increased from 39% to 81%, and was 89% at 12-month follow-up. Patients with completed ACP forms increased from 20% to 57% at 3 months, and was 67% at 12 months. Reasons for participating included recognizing the importance of ACP, curiosity, participation recommended by primary care provider, desire to talk with family/friends, and desire to complete advance directives.Conclusions: This ACP-GV intervention increased ACP documentation among patients with diverse reasons for participating. This is a patient-centered approach to ACP in primary care.