How COVID-19 changed VA life-sustaining treatment conversations
Impact of COVID-19 on implementation and outcomes of VA's Life-Sustaining TreatmentDecisions Initiative
This project looks at how the COVID-19 pandemic changed how VA teams talk with Veterans about their end-of-life care wishes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11086171 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the patient's point of view, the team will review VA medical records and site practices to compare how goals-of-care conversations were done before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. They will track documentation rates and note innovations like telehealth visits, outreach to high-risk patients (for example, people with dementia), and training of outpatient providers. The researchers will link these changes to outcomes for Veterans, caregivers, and providers to see whether care better matched patients' values. Findings will be used to spread successful approaches across VA sites.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans who receive care at VA facilities, especially those at higher risk of clinical deterioration such as people with dementia or serious chronic illnesses.
Not a fit: People who do not receive care through the VA or who are at low risk of clinical decline are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help more Veterans have timely conversations so their care better matches their wishes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show advance care planning and proactive conversations can improve alignment of care with patient wishes, but applying these approaches across a national VA initiative during a pandemic is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- VA Boston Health Care System — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Linsky, Amy — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Linsky, Amy
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.