Determining the Effect of Advance Care Planning in Palliative and End-of-Life Care: A Systematic Review of Reviews

Abstract

Advance care planning (ACP) plays a critical role in determining a person’s values, preferences, and beliefs prior to the point at which that individual may not be able to make or communicate his or her decisions. While ACP has become increasingly important in both policy and practice, a clear, shared understanding of what is meant by advance care planning remains elusive. The consequent variability in meaning and definitional ambiguity in relation to ACP can result in confusion around end-of-life practices and constrain the ability of policy makers, practitioners and others to determine the quality and effectiveness of ACP at different points and in different settings.