[Post-Intensive Care Syndrome - The Potential of Digital Aftercare for Integrated Cross-Sectoral Care]

More than half of the intensive care unit (ICU) survivors develop persistent cognitive, physical, and psychological impairments, summarized as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), accompanied by reduced quality of life and restricted social participation. In this context, digital interventions are gaining attention as an adjunct to existing care. They facilitate the transfer of relevant patient information and direct communication with clinicians, improve access to PICS-related information, and support the access to therapeutic services. However, prior studies have largely addressed single PICS domains and focused mainly on feasibility.

In 2024/2025, three randomized controlled trials (IMPROVE, ENCOMPASS, m-CCRP) were published. They provide the first systematic evaluation of digital follow-up programs for ICU survivors and show that telemedicine-based approaches are feasible and acceptable to patients; still, greater standardization of assessments and outcome measures is essential to improve comparability across future studies.

The implementation of digital PICS follow-up care is associated with several challenges. On the patient side, barriers include PICS-related impairments, limited digital literacy, and data privacy concerns. On the provider side, implementation is hindered by insufficient technical infrastructure, poor integration into existing care processes, and reimbursement barriers.

Digital and telemedicine-based approaches have the potential to bridge gaps in care, complement follow-up services, and improve access for vulnerable patient groups in particular. They are not a replacement, but a core component of a modern, cross-sectoral PICS follow-up care framework.