What patients and relatives expect from an intensivist--the Swiss side of a European survey.
BACKGROUND
Until recently, patients' and families' expectations of specialists in intensive care medicine were largely unknown. This paper reports the results from the Swiss subgroup of a recently performed European multicentre study addressing this question.


METHODS
Purposeful sample of adult ICUs in Switzerland. A questionnaire was distributed to ICU patients and relatives. It included 21 statements in the domains "medical knowledge", "communication with patients", "communication with relatives". Statements were rated for importance on a four-point Likert scale.


RESULTS
All addressed ICUs participated; there were two from the French and eight from the German speaking part of Switzerland. 197 questionnaires were returned (46%). Overall, the majority of characteristics were rated as important. As in the other participating countries, patients and relatives ranked, "medical knowledge" as most essential, followed by, "communication with patients" and, "communication with relatives". This remained unchanged when analysed for German or French language, female or male, age >65 years. Female responders rated "communication" as more important than male responders. For French speaking participants "treating patients as individuals" was the most important statement.


CONCLUSIONS
In accordance to respondents from other countries, Swiss patients and their families with experience of intensive care rate medical knowledge as most essential for specialists in intensive care medicine. However, communication with patients and with relatives is considered important, too. Accordingly, developing and ensuring medical knowledge and skills, as well as competence in communication must remain top priorities for the institutions responsible for training ICU physicians.
Dullenkopf
Alexander
A
The Swiss CoBaTrICE group, Switzerland.
Rothen
Hans U
HU
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003422:Critical Care / Q000592:standards*; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D000078329:Workforce