Access to and perceived value of post-ICU follow-up: an international cross-sectional survey of ICU professionals and adult critical illness survivors. - 2026
Access to and perceived value of post-ICU follow-up: an international cross-sectional survey of ICU professionals and adult critical illness survivors.
Follow-up; Health service research; Patient-centred care; Post-intensive care syndrome; Survivorship; Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
Abstract :
[en] [en] BACKGROUND: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is a frequent and debilitating consequence of critical illness, yet access to structured post-ICU follow-up remains inconsistent.
METHODS: We conducted an ESICM-endorsed, international, cross-sectional online survey using two complementary questionnaires to explore the perspectives of ICU healthcare professionals (ICU-HP) and adult ICU survivors (ICU-S), disseminated through ESICM communication channels, professional networks, patient associations, and social media. Both surveys explored post-ICU follow-up practices, access to care, perceived benefits, and unmet needs.
RESULTS: A total of 276 ICU-HP from 242 hospitals across 43 countries and 106 ICU-S from 47 ICUs across 6 countries participated in the survey. Post-ICU follow-up was reported to be available by 45% of ICUs and accessed by 58.5% of patients. Among ICU survivors, 55.7% reported having received information about PICS, while 86.2% of those not informed indicated it would have been useful. Follow-up practices showed marked heterogeneity in patient selection, timing, content, and duration. Among patients who had access to post-ICU follow-up, screening of all three core PICS domains (physical, cognitive and psychological functions) was performed in only 40.7% of cases. Nevertheless, 56.4% reported feeling better following follow-up, mainly due to perceived support and improved understanding of their condition. Among ICU-HPs offering follow-up, 55.1% reported that this activity had led to changes in clinical practice within their ICU, and 97.4% expressed intent to continue their programs although limited training opportunities and a lack of formal guidance were reported by a substantial proportion of respondents.
CONCLUSIONS: This survey demonstrates inconsistent access to post-ICU follow-up and information about PICS, despite the perceived value of post-ICU follow-up among both ICU-S and ICU-HP. Improving post-ICU care will require dedicated training and structured guidelines, highlighting the key role of scientific societies in ICU survivorship care.
Disciplines :
Anesthesia & intensive care
Author, co-author :
Rousseau, Anne-Françoise ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Soins intensifs ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des soins intensifs généraux
Leaver, Susannah; Department of Intensive Care, St George's NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
Fuest, Kristina; Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
Metaxa, Victoria; Department of Intensive Care, King's College Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
François, Guy; European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
Lambermont, Bernard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Sémiologie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Soins intensifs
Schaller, Stefan J; Medical University of Vienna, Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Clinical Division of General Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Vienna, Austria ; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CCM/CVK), Berlin, Germany
Rezar, Richard; Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care, Clinic of Internal Medicine II, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
van Mol, Margo M C; Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Beil, Michael; Department of Medicine, NHS Highland, Inverness, United Kingdom
Language :
English
Title :
Access to and perceived value of post-ICU follow-up: an international cross-sectional survey of ICU professionals and adult critical illness survivors.
Publication date :
2026
Journal title :
Annals of Intensive Care
eISSN :
2110-5820
Publisher :
Societe de Reanimation de Langue Francaise, France
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