Project Summary: This project examines attitudes about donation before circulatory death, from the viewpoint of previous organ donor families and professional organ donation stakeholder groups. The goal of this study is to inform patients, transplant centers, medical ethicists and policy makers about innovative strategies for organ recovery.
Project Status: Data collection is complete, analysis is in process.
Poster presentation at the American Transplant Congress, Chicago, IL, May 2017 and the 8th Annual University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery Research Summit, Madison, WI, January 2017
Available upon request, please contact Margaret Schwarze, MD, MPP, schwarze@surgery.wisc.edu to request a copy
A Communication Tool to Assist Older Adults Facing Difficult Surgical Decisions
Funding Agency: National Institute on Aging (NIA), Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists’ Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR)
Principal Investigator: Margaret L Schwarze, MD, MPP
Project Summary: The project pilot tested an intervention—a nimble communication tool plus associated surgeon training in its use—designed to align the preferences of frail older adults with surgical decision making. The goal was to improve care provided for people at the end of life. Given trends in the number of very old patients undergoing high-risk operations, the intervention proposed in this study could impact approximately 400,000 Americans annually who undergo surgery in their last three months of life.
Exploring Conversations between Surgeons and Patients Prior to Major Operations
Funding Agency: The Greenwall Foundation and the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
Principal Investigator: Margaret L Schwarze, MD, MPP
Project Summary: The project examined pre-operative conversations between surgeons and patients in order to document the interactions and negotiations that occur prior to high risk surgery. The goal of this study was to explore the roles that both the patient and surgeon take on during the pre-operative negotiation as well as the needs that pre-operative surgical patients have regarding possible limits of life supporting therapy as they undertake high risk operations.
Prevention of Postoperative Conflict About Life Supporting Therapy by Improving Preoperative Communication With Older Patients
Funding Agency: University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
Principal Investigator: Margaret L Schwarze, MD, MPP
Project Summary: This mentored career development award supports Dr. Schwarze’s transition to an independent investigator focused on optimizing decision making for older adults who consider and receive high risk surgical interventions. The goal of the proposed research is to reduce postoperative conflict in the event of a devastating operative complication by optimizing communication between patients and surgeons to ensure alignment of patients’ preferences with treatment decisions.
Understanding Surgeons’ Perspectives on Avoiding Non-Beneficial Surgery for Frail, Older Adults
Funding Agency: UW Department of Surgery
Principal Investigator: Margaret L Schwarze, MD, MPP
Project Summary: The primary aim of this project is to characterize surgeons’ perspectives on providing non-beneficial surgery for seriously ill, older patients with acute surgical conditions. Despite potential harms of invasive treatments, many patients receive surgery and other burdensome treatments near the end of life. Surgeons play a critical role in this decision-making process as they frequently care for patients like this in the hospital. This survey study is designed to characterize surgeon beliefs and practices regarding the care of older, seriously ill patients.
