ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Effects of digital communication tools on patients, family members and health care professionals in adult intensive care units (ICUs): a mixed-methods systematic review
Pooled result · Family satisfaction (3 RCTs)Result — go to the resultSMD 0.76 95% CI 0.45–1.06Authors' conclusion
Digital communication in adult ICUs is feasible, acceptable, and beneficial for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals.
Study context
- Population
- Patients, family members and health care professionals in adult ICUs54 studies
- Comparison
- Digital communication vs usual care
- Outcome
- Family satisfaction (3 RCTs)
Methodological detailsJBI convergent integrated approach, random-effects meta-analysis, thematic synthesis, 92% of studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic
- JBI convergent integrated approach
- Random-effects meta-analysis
- Thematic synthesis
- 92% of studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
SMD
0.76
95% CI 0.45–1.06
P < 0.001
Virtual communication vs Usual care
SMD 0.76 (95% CI 0.45–1.06); P < 0.001
Further pooled results
Patient anxiety (pooled)
- Pooled mean difference on patient anxiety, nonsignificant
- −2.19 (95% CI −4.62 to 0.23)
- Qualitative findings consistently described perceived reductions in anxiety
Patient depression (pooled)
- Pooled effect on depression nonsignificant
Original publication
Effects of digital communication tools on patients, family members and health care professionals in adult ICUs: a mixed-methods systematic review. Crit Care. Published 3 March 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →