Video call program for intensive care patients and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective study

To describe the utilization of the My Visit application for video calls between patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) and their families during the .COVID-19 pandemic as an alternative to hospital visits.

The My Visit (Zeyareti) application was launched in 2 National Guard Health Affairs hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and extended to all ICUs in August 2020. It allowed patients to communicate with their families using dedicated screens. This retrospective study was conducted using an automated satisfaction survey between September 2020 and September 2023.

Over 37 months, 25,655 video calls were conducted in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ICUs, particularly during the pandemic's peaks. A total of 1,329 family members responded to the satisfaction survey, and 893 respondents identified their relationship with patients. Parents represented 58%, siblings 18%, children 15%, and spouses 7% of respondents. Most were very satisfied with the ease of registration/login (85.1%), the timing of virtual visits (76.4%), consideration for patient privacy (80.5%), staff cooperation (76%), and the hospital's video call initiative (80.4%). Feedback included 546 comments appreciating the staff and 233 remarks suggesting improvements.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, video calls between ICU patients and their family members were frequently conducted. Parents made up the majority of callers, and video calls were associated with high family satisfaction.