• Alexis Tabah, Muhammed Elhadi, Emma Ballard, Andrea Cortegiani, Maurizio Cecconi, Takeshi Unoki, Laurą Galarza, Regis Goulart Rosa, Francois Barbier, Elie Azoulay, Kevin B Laupland, KaiNathalie Ssi YanNSYQueensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia., Marlies Ostermann, Guy Francois, Jan J De Waele, Kirsten Fiest, Peter Spronk, Julie Benbenishty, Mariangela Pellegrini, Louise Rose, and COVISIT contributors.
• Intensive Care Unit, Redcliffe Hospital, Metro North Hospital and Health services, Queensland, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: a.tabah@uq.edu.au.
• J Crit Care. 2022 Oct 1; 71: 154050154050.

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, intensive care units (ICU) introduced restrictions to in-person family visiting to safeguard patients, healthcare personnel, and visitors.MethodsWe conducted a web-based survey (March-July 2021) investigating ICU visiting practices before the pandemic, at peak COVID-19 ICU admissions, and at the time of survey response. We sought data on visiting policies and communication modes including use of virtual visiting (videoconferencing).ResultsWe obtained 667 valid responses representing ICUs in all continents. Before the pandemic, 20% (106/525) had unrestricted visiting hours; 6% (30/525) did not allow in-person visiting. At peak, 84% (558/667) did not allow in-person visiting for patients with COVID-19; 66% for patients without COVID-19. This proportion had decreased to 55% (369/667) at time of survey reporting. A government mandate to restrict hospital visiting was reported by 53% (354/646). Most ICUs (55%, 353/615) used regular telephone updates; 50% (306/667) used telephone for formal meetings and discussions regarding prognosis or end-of-life. Virtual visiting was available in 63% (418/667) at time of survey.ConclusionsHighly restrictive visiting policies were introduced at the initial pandemic peaks, were subsequently liberalized, but without returning to pre-pandemic practices. Telephone became the primary communication mode in most ICUs, supplemented with virtual visits.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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