Patient-psychologist telemedicine interactions in an intensive care unit recovery clinic: Qualitative secondary analysis.

Objectives: We aimed to describe the content of patient-psychologist mental health related dialogues during a telemedicine intensive care unit recovery clinic visit.

Research methodology/design: Qualitative descriptive study nested within a randomized controlled pilot trial to assess a telemedicine intensive care unit recovery clinic feasibility and preliminary efficacy. Participants included adults hospitalized with sepsis and/or respiratory failure. Telemedicine visits occurred at 3- and 12-weeks post-discharge involving a critical care pharmacist, physician, and psychologist. The psychologist conducted cognitive and mental health screenings, providing tailored brief psychotherapy and education. Audio-recorded visits were transcribed verbatim and underwent inductive reflexive thematic analysis.

Setting: Intensive care unit recovery clinic at an academic medical center in the southeastern United States.

Main outcome measures: N/A.

Findings: 17 participants completed 31 telemedicine intensive care unit recovery clinic visits between December 2019 and March 2022. Caregivers participated in 13 visits. Participant experiences and psychologist responses were identified and separated into two overarching themes: 1) Patient-Identified Challenges and 2) Psychologist-Delivered Strategies. Patient subthemes included 1) mental health challenges (negative thoughts), 2) minimization of mental health impact, and 3) use of coping methods. Psychologist subthemes included 1) rapport building and validation 2) use of psychological assessments, and 3) psychological interventions.

Conclusion: The collaborative effort, including a psychologist, exemplifies the role of a mental health professional within the multidisciplinary intensive care unit recovery clinic team, contributing to a comprehensive approach in identifying and managing post-intensive care syndrome impairments. The focus extends to shaping compassionate care strategies for addressing mental health challenges associated with post-intensive care syndrome, fostering a holistic approach to whole-person recovery.

Implications for clinical practice: A mental health professional (e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner) can contribute to shaping care strategies for the mental health symptoms associated with post-intensive care syndrome, fostering whole-person recovery after hospital discharge.

Clinical trial registration number: NCT03926533.