Goals of Care Conversations Study
The long term goal is to improve quality of care in Veterans with serious illnesses by aligning medical care with Veterans' goals and values. The objective of this study is to use a sequentially randomized trial to determine what implementation strategies are effective to increase early, outpatient goals of care conversations. The study will use interviews with and surveys of medical providers, patients, and caregivers, along with medical record data. This work is significant because it tests ways Veterans can express their goals and preferences for life sustaining treatments and have them honored.
Ask AI to explain this studyKey things to know
This describes the study’s primary purpose.
Plus 2 other study approaches.
These are broad labels—not an eligibility decision.
Checked against the public recordLast updated Sep 16, 2026 · Source: ClinicalTrials.gov
Ask the study team to confirm whether enrollment is open.
Interventional
Locations may change over time.
Study sponsor
What this study is about
- Purpose
- Health Services Research
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Interventions being studied
- Behavioral: Clinician Implementation Strategy Stage 1: low intensity clinician training; Behavioral: Clinician Implementation Strategy Stage 2: high intensity clinician training; Behavioral: Low patient engagement; Behavioral: High patient engagement
How this study is categorized
These labels come from structured fields and exact terms in the public record.
Who may be able to participate
The sponsor separates these requirements into two groups. You do not need to interpret them alone—use them to guide a conversation with the study team.
- CLINICIANS VA primary care advance practice clinicians (MDs, APRNs, PAs) at one of the three study sites able to complete goals of care conversation notes and orders. Advance practice clinicians will be eligible for randomization if they have at least 15 eligible patients without goals of care conversation notes at the start of stage 1 (to allow participating clinicians ample opportunities to write notes) and have written fewer than 4 goals of care conversation notes in the previous 6 months (to select clinicians who need improvement), and can potentially receive the planned implementation strategies, i.e., clinicians who regularly attend the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) team meetings. PATIENTS
- Veteran enrolled in VHA health care in one of the three study sites who is a current patient of one of the eligible primary care clinicians
- Diagnosis of cancer, heart failure, interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, end-stage renal disease, end-stage liver disease, and dementia
- Care Assessment Need score of \> or equal to 90 using the one-year combined hospitalization/mortality variable
- PATIENTS
- Prisoner
- Pregnant
- under 18 years of age.
Important: This is the sponsor’s public criteria, not a determination of eligibility. The study team must review your individual situation.
U.S. locations
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CAPalo Alto, California
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CAWest Los Angeles, California
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, COAurora, Colorado
Source and freshness
Processed from ClinicalTrials.gov. Last public update: Sep 16, 2026. Always confirm current availability with the study team.