A Multidisciplinary Team-Based Approach to Improve Communication With Surrogates of Patients With Chronic Critical Illness.

Background: Clinicians need to deliver prognostic information to surrogates of nondecisional, critically ill patients so that surrogates can make informed medical decisions that reflect the patient's values. Our objective was to implement a new approach for communicating with surrogates of patients with chronic critical illness.

Methods: Surrogate decision makers of patients who were difficult to liberate from mechanical ventilation were prospectively enrolled.