Featured Scholar: Alexia Torke, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, IU School of Medicine
Assessing Surrogate Decision Making For Older Adults
Hospitalized older adults are often unable to make their own medical decisions due to dementia, delirium or other conditions that impair cognitive function. In such cases, physicians must work with surrogates, usually close family members, to make choices for the patient. Although there is evidence of unwanted medical treatment for seriously ill patients and strain on surrogate decision makers, there has been little study of the frequency, characteristics or outcomes of surrogate decision making for older, hospitalized adults. An observational study conducted by Dr. Torke will characterize the frequency and outcomes of decisions made by surrogates with emphasis on the surrogate's own perspective on decision making. Results from the study will serve as the basis for an intervention to improve the quality and outcomes of surrogate decision making for older, hospitalized adults and their families.
Selected Publications in IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks
With several research works contributed to IU Indianapolis's free, open access repository, Dr. Torke has made translational research knowledge available to professionals, researchers, students, and communities around the world.
Carlos, W. G., Baker, M. S., McPherson, K. A., Bosslet, G. T., Sood, R., & Torke, A. M. (2016). Smoking-Related Home Oxygen Burn Injuries: Continued Cause for Alarm. Respiration, 91(2), 151–155. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/11050
Jawed, A., Moe, S.M., Moorthi, R.N., Torke, A.M., Eadon, M.T. 2016, April 8. Symptom Burden in Geriatric Hospitalized ESRD Patients: Quantifying symptoms to increase Nephrologist Awareness and use of Palliative Care Consultation. Poster session presented at IU Indianapolis Research Day 2016, Indianapolis, Indiana. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/10146
Tucker Edmonds, B., Torke, A. M., Helft, P., & Wocial, L. D. (2015). Doctor, What Would You Do? An ANSWER for Patients Requesting Advice About Value-Laden Decisions. Pediatrics, 136(4), 740–745. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/9426
Bute, J. J., Petronio, S., & Torke, A. M. (2015). Surrogate decision makers and proxy ownership: challenges of privacy management in health care decision making. Health Communication, 30(8), 799–809. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/7381
Torke, A. M., Bledsoe, P., Wocial, L. D., Bosslet, G. T., & Helft, P. R. (2015). CEASE: A Guide for Clinicians on How to Stop Resuscitation Efforts. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 12(3), 440-445. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/6789
Torke, A. M., Schwartz, P. H., Holtz, L. R., Montz, K., & Sachs, G. A. (2013). Older Adults and Forgoing Cancer Screening “I Think It Would Be Strange” Older Adults and Forgoing Cancer Screening. JAMA internal medicine, 173(7), 526-531. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/4126
Fritch, J., Petronio, S., Helft, P. R., & Torke, A. (2013). Making Decisions for Hospitalized Older Adults: Ethical Factors Considered by Family Surrogates. The Journal of clinical ethics, 24(2), 125. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/3707
Petronio, S., Torke, A., Bosslet, G., Isenberg, S., Wocial, L., & Helft, P. R. (2013). Disclosing Medical Mistakes: A Communication Management Plan for Physicians. The Permanente Journal, 17(2), 73. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/3715
Torke, A. M., Petronio, S., Sachs, G. A., Helft, P. R., & Purnell, C. (2012). A conceptual model of the role of communication in surrogate decision making for hospitalized adults. Patient education and counseling, 87(1), 54-61. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/3713
Torke, A. M., Petronio, S., Purnell, C. E., Sachs, G. A., Helft, P. R., & Callahan, C. M. (2012). Communicating with Clinicians: The Experiences of Surrogate Decision‐Makers for Hospitalized Older Adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 60(8), 1401-1407. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/3714
Torke, A. M., Sachs, G. A., Helft, P. R., Petronio, S., Purnell, C., Hui, S., & Callahan, C. M. (2011). Timing of Do‐Not‐Resuscitate Orders for Hospitalized Older Adults Who Require a Surrogate Decision‐Maker. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 59(7), 1326-1331. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/3710