Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Prognosis Communication Options

In a trial comparing approaches to communication of clinical predictions, participants were randomized to videos of an intensivist answering a standardized question about the prognosis of a patient at high risk of death on day 3 of an ICU admission. The responses were categorized in the following ways: 1. Direct: acknowledges uncertainty but believes the patient will not survive hospitalization.2. Indirect: describes the prognosis of other people similar to the patient in question.3. Indirect: describes the severe physiologic abnormalities and potential future problems.4. Redirection: discusses the values of the patient and possible future decisions.Participants who viewed videos using indirect or redirection language perceived the physician to be more optimistic than those who viewed a video of the physician answering the question directly. Click the article link for complete details.