Digital Innovation in Personalized Aftercare

Abstract

Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) can be a challenging period for patients and their families as they navigate through complex medical treatments and emotional stressors. Among the complexities of critical medical interventions, navigating through the ICU experience can be overwhelming. Following discharge, the transition to post-ICU care is critical, necessitating comprehensive support and information dissemination to patients and their loved ones to ensure continuity of care. Recognizing the significance of this transition, there has been a concerted effort to harness digital innovations to augment support mechanisms for patients and their families during this critical period. Research has delved into the development and evaluation of digital tools tailored for post-ICU support. These digital platforms, accessible via various devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, offer a convenient means of delivering essential information and emotional assistance to patients and families post-discharge. By providing digital innovation, these tools aim to alleviate the emotional burden and enhance the understanding of post-ICU care procedures, facilitating a smoother recovery journey for patients and their support networks. The primary objectives of this research endeavor were multifaceted, including the identification of specific needs among ICU patients and their families during the post-discharge phase, delineation of pivotal components within digital post-ICU care, and exploration of cross-cultural variations in priorities and requirements for digital support systems post-discharge. The study, conducted across diverse healthcare settings in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Croatia, aimed to provide comprehensive insights into the global landscape of post-ICU care and the role of digital interventions in optimizing patient outcomes and familial well-being.