The main aim of the research laboratory is to establish Follow-up Clinics for patients who have been discharged from an ICU setting. These patients will be seen by the research team and members of the laboratory one month post-discharge from ICU. Patients will be seen again in two months, in three months, in six months, in twelve months, in one year, and finally in five years.
More specifically, the "ICU Follow-up Care Lab" will include the following interventions and activities:
1. Assessment of the QOL (Quality of Life) in patients discharged from ICU. The following queries/tools will be used for this purpose such as: SF 36, EQ5D, SIP, NHP, RAND 36, Rosser Disability and Distress Categories, Spitzer Quality of Life Index, Psychological General Well-Being Schedule (PGWB,) Fernandez Questionnaire, Whiston Hospital Questionnaire.
2. Pulmonary function tests (spirometry, blood oxygen saturation measured with pulse oximeter, exercise capacity evaluated by walk test).
3. Heart health check: electrocardiogram (ECG), determination of heart rate disorders.
4. Assessment of traumas and pressure ulcers.
5. Assessments of motor skills.
6. Determination of psychological effects, cognitive disorders, and post-traumatic stress. Special scales will be used for this purpose such as HADS.
7. Nutrition assessment.
8. Investigation of polypharmacy.
9. Investigation of the effects on patients’ family members.
10. Evaluation of post-discharge healthcare utilization costs.
11. Family education in order to improve patient care e.g. tracheostomy, enteral feeding.
12. Delivery of training programs for clinical nurses who take care of patients discharged from ICU.
13. Investigation into the experience of patients and their family caregivers during their stay in the ICU (qualitative approach).
14. Studying the impact of a heart attack in ICU survivors.
15. Studying the Frailty Syndrome in critically ill ICU patients.