Developing and setting up a patient and relatives intensive care support group

Area of Science:

• Critical care medicine
• Patient support systems
• Quality of life research

Background:

• Critical illness leads to prolonged physical and psychological challenges, impacting patients' quality of life.
• Existing literature and patient feedback indicate a need for enhanced post-discharge support.
• Personal experiences of healthcare providers highlighted a gap in recovery care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To underscore the necessity of support for patients and relatives post-critical illness and hospital discharge.
• To demonstrate how user support groups can effectively meet this need.
• To advocate for the establishment of patient-centered recovery programs.

Main Methods:

• Development of a patient-centered forum by the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Support Team for Ex-Patients.
• Implementation of informal, flexible drop-in sessions for patients and relatives.
• Leveraging an existing formal follow-up service to create a supportive environment.

Main Results:

• Feedback confirms a significant need for post-critical illness support.
• Patients and families reported benefits from sharing experiences with peers.
• The user support group model proved effective in addressing unmet needs.

Conclusions:

• A simple, low-investment approach can fill a critical gap in patient support.
• The established support system effectively addresses the needs of patients and relatives.
• The model is adaptable for wider implementation in intensive care unit (ICU) settings.