title: A pilot study of audiovisual family meetings in the intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized that virtual family meetings in the intensive care unit with conference calling or Skype videoconferencing would result in increased family member satisfaction and more efficient decision making.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, nonblinded, nonrandomized pilot study. A 6-question survey was completed by family members after family meetings, some of which used conference calling or Skype by choice. Overall, 29 (33%) of the completed surveys came from audiovisual family meetings vs 59 (67%) from control meetings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling, which did not find any significant group differences between satisfaction with the audiovisual meetings vs controls. There was no association between the audiovisual intervention and withdrawal of care (P = .682) or overall hospital length of stay (z = 0.885, P = .376).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we do not report benefit from an audiovisual intervention, these results are preliminary and heavily influenced by notable limitations to the study. Given that the intervention was feasible in this pilot study, audiovisual and social media intervention strategies warrant additional investigation given their unique ability to facilitate communication among family members in the intensive care unit.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Department of Neurology. Electronic address: adam.dehavenon@hsc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Havenon
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Department of Neurology.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Social Research Institute.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanana
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Department of Neurology.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wold
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Medical Center, Department of Neurology.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoesch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Family meeting; Goals of care; Intensive care unit; Palliative care