Doctor’s Perceptions of the Systemic Influences on Advance Care Plan Application: A Thematic Analysis

Figures & data

Figure 1 Example interview guide questions.

Table 1 Participant Characteristics

Doctors	n
Cardiology	1
Emergency Department	2
General Medicine	3
Geriatrics	5
Intensive Care	1
Neurology	1
Oncology (medical)	1
Palliative Care	1
Psychiatry	1
Seniority
Registrar	1
Senior Medical Officer	15
Gender
Female	6
Male	10
Age range
30–39	6
40–49	4
>50	6
Years experience
5–10	3
11–20	7
> 20	6

Table 2 Example Coding Process

Initial Coding	Focused Codes	Themes and Subthemes
“So much grey” Practicing medicine not law Being protected by law	“So much grey” Marrying law and medicine Practicing good medicine	Law: practicing medicine within a legal construct
Ineffective EOL and ACP education. Ad hoc learning Education is voluntary	Insufficient education	(Subtheme) Education
Giving GPs responsibility GPs ill-equipped ACPs lacking transparency “Efficiency efficiency efficiency”	Disconnecting hospital from primary care Distrusting ACP Deferring to ARP Resources constraining practice	Delegitimizing ACP
Working to diagnose and treat Going into medicine to help Being siloed	GPs’ responsibility Socialized to treat	(Subtheme) Workplace culture
Resuscitation plan the priority	Deferring to ARPs	Deferring to ARPs
Including ACP is voluntary. Relying on being given access Unfamiliar with ACP Tracke.	Access optional. Ill-equipped to access ACP	(Subtheme) Accessing ACPs