Responsive care management: family decision makers in advanced cancer.

The purpose of this prospective study was to develop a grounded theory explaining the process that family decision makers use to make care decisions with or for a family member with advanced cancer. Adult surrogate decision makers were recruited for multiple interviews over the patient's care trajectory: 40 surrogates provided 80 semi-structured interviews. Analysis of these narratives revealed a process of responsive care management that is inclusive of, but not limited to, decision-making roles. Monitoring, buffering, and taking over comprise the three phases of the process. Decision making was embedded within the family member's broader relational and care responsibilities.