A Pilot Randomized Trial of an Interactive Web-based Tool to Support Surrogate Decision Makers in the Intensive Care Unit

Interventions using digital technology to promote family engagement in the adult intensive care unit: An integrative review

“…For non-experimental studies, the common aims were to investigate the participants' perceptions or user experiences with interventions using various technologies (e.g., text messages and interactive decision-making tools). Seven experimental studies tested the interventions to provide education, 22 , 23 , 24 support decision making, 25 , 26 , 27 and deliver family meetings. 28 …”

“…The sample sizes in each study ranged from 26 to 156 for quantitative descriptive, 19 to 230 for qualitative/mixed-methods, and 52 to 416 for experimental studies. The types of ICUs included medical, 25 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 surgical, 33 cardiovascular, 22 , 29 , 34 neuro, 25 , 28 oncology, 30 and COVID-19 35 ICUs. Eight studies were conducted at a single site in a single unit, 22 , 23 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 five at a single site in multiple units, 25 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 36 , and two in multiple centers.…”

“…The types of ICUs included medical, 25 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 surgical, 33 cardiovascular, 22 , 29 , 34 neuro, 25 , 28 oncology, 30 and COVID-19 35 ICUs. Eight studies were conducted at a single site in a single unit, 22 , 23 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 five at a single site in multiple units, 25 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 36 , and two in multiple centers. 24 , 26 Most of the studies were conducted in the United States (10 out of 15), and the rest were conducted in other countries, including Italy ( n = 2), Australia ( n = 1), China ( n = 1), and Iran ( n = 1).…”

“… 23 However, this information was not tailored or individualized. In the interventions that enabled two-way communication among users, 25 , 26 , 27 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 35 , 36 the features enabled an exchange of questions and answers among families and clinicians or allowed the clinicians to view the families' input and prepare for the family conference in advance. In some studies, interventions involved virtual visits/telepresence using video calls, phones, or robots to enable collaboration between clinicians and families in real time to enhance treatment decision-making and facilitate family meetings.…”

The Experiences and Needs of Families of Comatose Patients After Cardiac Arrest and Severe Neurotrauma: The Perspectives of National Key Stakeholders During a National Institutes of Health–Funded Workshop

“…Future research should explore the relationship between families' information and decision-making needs, health outcomes, and cost. Finally, researchers need to develop and study efficacy of interventions to support family members' informational and decision-making needs through means such as family support tools (23) or decision aids that facilitate shared decision-making (24)(25)(26).…”