Communication of Prognostic Information for Critically III Patients.

This article cites a study, determining the association of the timing of prognostic information delivery by physicians with care giver satisfaction with communication or decision making in intensive care units (ICUs). The objective of this longitudinal survey-based study was two-fold: first, to determine the congruity between surrogates' desired frequency of communication and the actual frequency, and second, to determine whether surrogates' comprehension of substituted judgment was associated with decision-making satisfaction. Subjects of the study were surrogate decision makers of patients in the Medical or Surgical ICU at Fairview University Medical Center or Methodist Hospital in Minnesota. A total of 57 caregivers received prognostic information during the ICU stay. The study suggests that the capacity of physicians and other ICU personnel to manage families' communication expectations may positively influence caregiver satisfaction.