Effect of Intensivist Communication in a Simulated Setting on Interpretation of Prognosis Among Family Members of Patients at High Risk of Intensive Care Unit Admission: A Randomized Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Discordance about prognosis between a patient's health care decision-making surrogate and the treating intensivist is common in the intensive care unit (ICU). Empowering families, friends, and caregivers of patients who are critically ill to make informed decisions about care is important, but it is unclear how best to communicate prognostic information to surrogates when a patient is expected to die.

Objective

To determine whether family members, who are often health care decision-making surrogates, interpret intensivists as being more optimistic when questions about prognosis in the ICU are answered indirectly.

Design, setting, and participants

This web-based randomized trial was conducted between September 27, 2019, and October 17, 2019, among a national

SUBMITTER: Oppenheim IM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7113731 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature