Successful Strategies for Operationalizing Goals-of-Care Documentation
An article published in NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery describes a multiyear, systematic initiative that contributed to a health system's substantial increase in documented goals-of-care (GOC) conversations for ICU patients across fifty-one of its hospitals. By aligning the effort with the organization’s mission and vision, partnering with clinical leaders, improving electronic health record documentation, and designing and implementing communication skills training, the health system saw an increase in GOC documentation from 6.8% in 2016 to 84.8% in 2024, for ICU patients hospitalized for five or more days.