Do We Know What We Mean? An Examination of the Use of the Phrase “Goals of Care” in the Literature

Abstract

Background: There is no consensus approach to describe the process or components of goals of care (GOC) conversations. Objective: The objective was to review the utilization of the phrase “GOC” in PubMed-indexed literature to contextualize the use of the phrase. Secondary aim was to describe the use of this phrase within journals focused on palliative care. Methods: A review of articles in the PubMed-indexed literature published during a single year utilizing the phrase “goals of care.” Results: A total of 191 articles were reviewed after exclusions. Few articles included an operant definition for GOC ( n = 27, 14%). It was often used to describe conversations focused on determining intent for treatment ( n = 57, 30%), talks about death or dying ( n = 52, 27%), or simply vague discussions ( n = 39, 20%). The agenda was focused on the outcomes of the conversation ( n = 169, 88%) compared with factors such as hopes, worries, values, and personhood ( n = 22, 12%). The majority did not utilize the phrase “palliative care” ( n = 77, 40%); those who did frequently used “palliative care” incorrectly ( n = 72, 38%). Conclusions: The definition of the phrase GOC is most often assumed with its context centered on the needs of the health care system and linked to a specific medical topic. It is most commonly used to describe determinations of the patient's therapy intent, second most commonly to describe end-of-life conversations. The use of the phrase GOC within the palliative literature does not differ notably from its use in the broader literature.