Design of technology-based self-service for ICU patients´ families

Caring in intensive care unit (ICU) is taken seriously in the whole medical process. Past research usually focused on satisfying ICU patients or medical personnel´s needs, requirements of patients´ families were often been ignored. To establish ¿CarePlus¿-a comprehensive technology-based self-service (TBSS) for ICU patients´ families-is the objective of this research. Based on the finding through literature review and investigation on needs of patients´ families, design of services were developed, which include hospital related information, ICU related information, ICU patient´s family related information, living information, patient nursing information, medical information, consultation hotlines, religious and spiritual support. ICU of NCKU hospital was employed for evaluation, where target subject tested the dedicated TBSS and their feedbacks were analyzed quantitatively. The result indicates that patients´ families show high affirmation toward CarePlus, and their need gaps will be reduced after trying this service.