How to communicate with families living in complete isolation

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Healthcare Management
• Pandemic Response

Background:

• The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic necessitated complete physical isolation in hospitals.
• This isolation caused significant distress for families, including anxiety, mistrust, and feelings of powerlessness.
• Healthcare professionals faced challenges in maintaining communication with patient relatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop consensus statements for effective healthcare team communication with patient relatives via telephone or video calls.
• To provide guidance for optimal communication strategies during complete patient isolation.

Main Methods:

• A multiprofessional taskforce (physicians, nurses, psychologists, legal experts, family members, former patients) was formed.
• An e-Delphi methodology was employed to develop and evaluate position statements and practical checklists.
• Evidence-based consensus procedures were used, with literature searches from 1999-2019.

Main Results:

• Ten consensus statements and two practical checklists were created for phone and video call communication.
• These tools address who, when, why, and how to provide clinical information to families during isolation.
• The developed resources offer a structured approach to communication.

Conclusions:

• The statements and checklists provide a structured methodology for quality communication between healthcare teams and families during isolation.
• Effective communication is crucial for mitigating family distress and fostering trust.
• Time dedicated to communication should be recognized as an integral part of patient care.