The Benefits of SIC
Serious illness conversations (SIC) have multiple benefits for patients and their families, as well as for the clinicians who are caring for them. These are based on a strong and growing body of research—largely conducted in recent years by physicians affiliated with Ariadne Labs.
At their core, SIC are a critical part of the ACP process that helps ensure that a patient’s care plan reflects their goals, values and wishes.
The benefits for the patient are several; research shows that those who have end-of-life conversations with their physicians and family members:
Are more likely to be satisfied with their care and feel less anxious as they approach EOL
Require fewer aggressive interventions at EOL
Place less strain on their families and caregivers
Are more likely to understand and take advantage of hospice resources—and do so earlier—or die at home (which is what most patients want), while experiencing fewer hospital readmissions and decreased ER and ICU usage
Similarly, proven benefits of SIC to physicians and other members of the care teams include:
Reduced moral distress and provider burnout
Reduced conflict between providers and patients and/or their families
Avoidance of unnecessary treatment and promotion of greater concordance of care
Increasing awareness about various options for care, available resources and support at earlier stages—and before a crisis
Greater shared understanding among the care team
Finally, for healthcare organizations, benefits of SIC and their consistent documentation include:
Greater evidence of positive outcomes with SIC and ACP, including improved quality and safety metrics
Increased use of ACP billing
Potentially broader availability of documentation of patient EOL wishes in EHRs across health systems
“The Center has helped our staff improve their skills, which, in turn, improves our patient experiences.”
- Julie Benson, MD / Lakewood Health System