Toby Campbell, MD, MSCI

Toby Campbell, MD, MSCI

Discipline: Physician
Funding awarded to: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin

Best Case/Worst Case: A Communication Tool to Assist Older Adults Facing Difficult Surgical Decisions

This project aims to evaluate a preoperative communication tool’s ability to help surgeons and older patients considering high-risk operations to make choices about treatment that better reflect patients’ preferences, values, and goals. This project has three aims: 1) to demonstrate that surgeons can learn to use the “best case/worst case” communication tool to describe treatment choices to patients; 2) to assess acceptability of the “best case/worst case” tool for patients in a clinical setting; and 3) to develop recruitment, training, and data collection standard operating procedures for future studies.

I hope to make an indelible mark on medical practice by influencing the way providers communicate with seriously ill patients and families. Our best case/worst case tool has the potential to influence the way providers communicate with patients about high risk procedures. The support and visibility provided by the Sojourn’s Scholar Program will facilitate continued forward momentum with my research, teaching, and leadership efforts as I work towards changing clinical practice across a large medical center. The Sojourn’s Program will provide time to enable growth as a leader and investigator and support work with my key collaborators allowing these projects to take flight or reach completion. I will bring my very best to the table to advance our collective mission to impact the field of medicine through extraordinary palliative care.