• Nicole Moraco, Adam D Lipworth, Yuxiu Lei, Lior Bassell, Megan Harper, Elizabeth Collins, Anne C Mosenthal, and Sheri Keitz.
• Department of Surgery and Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA.
• J Palliat Med. 2023 Jun 1; 26 (6): 807815807-815.

AbstractBackground: In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed intensive care teams with severely ill patients. Even at the end of life, families were barred from hospitals, relying solely on remote communication. A Remote Communication Liaison Program (RCLP) was established to ensure daily communication for families, while supporting overstretched intensivists. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the RCLP on participating liaisons and intensivists. Design: Two quality improvement surveys were developed and administered electronically. Setting/Subjects: Based in the United States, all liaisons and intensivists who participated in this program were invited to take the surveys. Measurements: Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative Likert-scale data, and qualitative analysis was used to assess themes. Results: Among respondents, all (100%) liaisons and more than 90% of intensivists agreed or strongly agreed that the RCLP provided a valuable service to families. More than 70% of intensivists agreed or strongly agreed that the program lessened their workload. More than 90% of liaisons agreed or strongly agreed that participation in the program improved their confidence and skills in end-of-life decision making, difficult conversations, and comprehension of critical care charts. Themes elicited from the liaisons revealed that participation fostered a renewed sense of purpose as physicians, meaningful connection, and opportunities for growth. Conclusions: RCLP successfully trained and deployed liaisons to rapidly develop skills in communication with beleaguered families during COVID-19 surge. Participation in the program had a profound effect on liaisons, who experienced a renewed sense of meaning and connection to the practice of medicine.

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