Advance care planning in same-sex couples

Abstract

Advance care planning (ACP) is a process in which an individual’s goals, desires, and preferences regarding health care during a serious illness or end of life are explored by the clinician through conversations with the patient and their families. ACP is underutilized among same-sex couples. In our case report we describe a same-sex couple who did not have an ACP. The gap in current practice is primarily due to provider discomfort or unfamiliarity in discussing end of life care issues especially in same-sex couples. If not remedied, this could negatively impact the physical and emotional health in this vulnerable population leading to health disparities.