University of Utah
The Facilitating Goal-based Conversations for Understanding Surgery (FOCUS) Guide is a communication intervention designed to support discussion and documentation of the goal for surgery during outpatient surgical consultations. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of the FOCUS guide in prompting discussion of the goal for surgery.
More than 300,000 older adults undergo major non-urgent surgery annually in the United States. Older adults often prioritize independence, quality of life, and preservation of function over life prolongation when making treatment decisions. However, surgical consultations rarely include explicit discussion or documentation of the goal for surgery. Existing surgical communication often focuses on disease-centered or "fix-it" models of care, emphasizing surgical correction of structural disease rather than discussion of outcomes that matter most to patients. As a result, patients may develop un…
Inclusion Criteria: For surgeons 1\. Surgeons who have regular outpatient clinics at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute For patients: 1. Age ≥65 years. 2. Presenting for in-person outpatient consultation regarding major non-urgent surgery with an enrolled surgeon. 3. Ability to provide informed consent. 4. English-speaking. Exclusion Criteria: For surgeons 1. Surgeons with a predominantly pediatric practice 2. Transplant surgeons For patients 1. Anticipated life expectancy \<3 months. 2. Inability to complete study procedures. 3. Patients presenting for minor procedu…
The FOCUS Guide is a communication intervention designed to support discussion and documentation of the goal for surgery during outpatient surgical consultations.
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