Value-Based Experiences Related to Digital Follow-Up Services Among Critical Care Survivors: An International Qualitative Study.
Anna Zacharelou, Radenka Munjas Samarin, Karolina Mikulcic and 5 others
PMID 40390388WHAT IT FOUND
ICU survivors wanted tailored digital follow-up that gives trusted information, contact with professionals, peer support and simple accessible tools.
They also described feeling powerless and needing help returning to work, family life and memory tasks.
Key findings
01Survivors described feeling powerless, facing intertwined physical and psychological difficulties, and struggling to regain family, social and work roles.
02They wanted tailored digital follow-up with reliable post-ICU information, digital consults with professionals, peer support, and practical features such as contact lists, FAQs, document storage and memory reminders.
03Some older participants resisted digital means and preferred simple contact methods such as email, WhatsApp or Zoom.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The participants were self-selected and may not represent ICU survivors who are less willing or able to engage with digital solutions. Accounts may have been affected by recall after a long time since ICU discharge. The design was not intended to compare countries, so healthcare-system and digital-infrastructure differences limit transferability. The study explored experiences and preferences, not effectiveness, so it cannot show that digital follow-up improves outcomes. Focus groups were conducted online, in person or in hybrid formats, which may have shaped participation.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding was reported from ZonMw and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read survivors' requests for digital follow-up as proof that digital ICU recovery services work. The study explored experiences and preferences in a self-selected group and did not test outcomes.