The Future of Survivorship in Critical Illness
In this issue of JAMA, O’Neill and colleagues report the results of a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized clinical trial evaluating a remotely delivered, 6-week, multicomponent, rehabilitation intervention for critical illness survivors. Across 52 National Health Service hospitals in the UK, 429 adults who received at least 48 hours of invasive mechanical ventilation, could speak English or had a translator, and were directly discharged home from the hospital were randomized to a rehabilitation intervention (n = 231) or standard care (n = 198). Specially trained interventionists led weekly 1-on-1 remote appointments encompassing exercise, symptom management, and psychological well-being support. The interventionists had regular meetings (1-2 per month) with a multiprofessional team to address participants’ queries and identify further management strategies. Additional program offerings included weekly group-based remote exercise sessions and an online peer support group.