A Systems Approach to Improve ICU Care for Patients with Advanced Cancer

Many patients diagnosed with advanced cancer are confronted with complicated treatment decisions that can involve tradeoffs between life-extension, quality of life, and physical comfort. These decisions can be particularly difficult for patients with cancer who develop an acute illness that brings them to an intensive care unit. This study will use methods from the field of systems engineering to improve how the large team of health professionals in the intensive care unit helps patients and families make medical decisions that reflect patients’ goals, values, and preferences. The new knowledge and novel intervention developed in this study will be extended to other patient populations with serious illness who face difficult and complex medical treatment decisions.