Following the path of ICU survivors: a quality-improvement activity

Abstract

堒ecent interest in continuity of care has meant that the illness trajectory experienced by intensive care unit (ICU) patients has received more attention 堕sing continuous quality improvement as a framework, this paper describes information obtained during a 3-year period relating to ICU patients' long-term experiences after being discharged from hospital 堔his information identified that most participants had been discharged home but that many experienced problems with mobility, disability and fatigue. Changes in employment status and the need for financial assistance were noted 堁s a result of the information provided by this activity, clinical practice has changed and a number of formal research studies have been undertaken