NeuroRecovery Clinics: A Survey to Understand the Current Landscape and Opinions of Post-NeuroICU Clinics

Survival following severe acute neurologic injury (SANI) is increasing. The complexities of caring for these patients are vast and gaps have been highlighted in post-acute care follow-up. While the development of post-ICU follow-up clinics have been increasing in popularity there is limited literature describing the landscape of post-neuroICU/NeuroRecovery clinics. We sought to describe the current landscape and identify benefits and barriers to clinic development in the United States.

We developed a 19-question cross-sectional survey study.

The survey was disseminated to clinicians working in neurocritical care units throughout the United States and open for completion from August 2023 to December 2023. Responses were characterized by descriptive statistics.

None.

Two hundred eighteen unique individuals responded to our survey. Post-neuroICU and/or NeuroRecovery clinics were uncommon and operational at only 69 of 215 respondents' institutions (32.1%). Forty-two percent reported an interest in engaging with a post-neuroICU clinic and an additional 39% showed interest but had identified other obligations preventing participation. Among the identified potential benefits of a clinic for survivors of SANI mitigating gaps in care, identifying differences between predicted and actual outcome, and reassessment of communication/prognosis ranked highest.

Few post-neuroICU/NeuroRecovery clinics exist in the United States but interest in participating in this aspect of care is common within the neurocritical care community. The identification of gaps in care, obstacles to continued recovery, and potential to adjudicate differences between actual and predicted outcomes ranked among the most important potential benefits for extending the current neurocritical care paradigm to the clinic setting.