Clinicians encounter significant difficulty identifying dementia and assessing decision-making capacity in surgical patients due to inconsistent documentation and limited resources.
Caregivers and nonsurgical clinicians play a crucial role in surgical decision-making, though mismatched expectations and caregiver burden complicate communication and planning.
Clinician perceptions that dementia adversely affects surgical outcomes are widespread but seldom grounded in explicit evidence or guidelines.
Improved EHR interoperability, routine caregiver inclusion, and integration of dementia specialists can enhance surgical decision-making for patients living with dementia (PLWD).
