@article {Hurlowe395, author = {Adam Hurlow and Lucy Wyld and Andrew Breen}, title = {An evaluation of advance care planning during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective review of patient involvement in decision making using routinely collected data from digital ReSPECT records}, volume = {21}, number = {4}, pages = {e395--e398}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.7861/clinmed.2020-1036}, publisher = {Royal College of Physicians}, abstract = {Objective To review advance care planning (ACP) practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluating the number of plans created, patient participation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation recommendations and variation between different population groups.Design A retrospective analysis and comparison of routinely collected data from electronic recommended summary plan for emergency care and treatment (ReSPECT) records documented in April 2020 and January to December 2019.Setting/participants Electronic ReSPECT documents completed for adult patients at a large, acute hospital trust in the UK.Results The number of plans created per 1,000 admissions in April 2020 was 333.0\% higher than in 2019. A greater proportion of plans created during April 2020 were discussed with the patient and the proportion containing a {\textquoteleft}for cardiopulmonary resuscitation{\textquoteright} recommendation was higher across all population groups. A greater proportion of plans were created for younger adults and Black and minority ethnic groups during the pandemic.Conclusion Increased ACP during a crisis can be achieved alongside increased patient participation in decision making. A tool such as ReSPECT that supports recommendations for, as well as limitations on, treatment may have enabled the expansion of ACP observed.}, issn = {1470-2118}, URL = {https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/21/4/e395}, eprint = {https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/21/4/e395.full.pdf}, journal = {Clinical Medicine} }