European Society of Intensive Care Medicine consensus statement on human-centred partnership in the intensive care unit
In brief
46-member international panel endorses 43 steps for more human-centered ICU care
An international panel endorsed 43 consensus statements to make intensive care more person-centered, drawing on evidence reviews and input from clinicians, patients, families, and other stakeholders. Recommendations include flexible family visits, clearer team communication, psychological support, culturally responsive care, and changes to improve sleep and reduce delirium; whether the framework improves patient or staff outcomes remains untested.
- Journal
- Intensive care medicine (Q1)
- Published
- 26 October 2026
- Study design
- Practice guideline / consensus
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1c)
- Authors
- Jos M Latour, Emilio Rodriguez-Ruiz, Yaseen M Arabi, Julie Benbenishty, Carole Boulanger, Shining Cai, et al.
- PMID
- 42931902
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00134-026-08626-9
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine (paper of the day, 27 October 2026): Consensus on person‑centred ICU care, relevant to intensivists
Abstract
A human-centred partnership in the intensive care unit (ICU) aims to integrate person-centred care, communication, emotional support, equity, and collaboration into ICU environments. The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) developed a consensus statement on human-centred partnership in the ICU following a systematic, multi-phase, evidence-informed methodology incorporating the views of ICU professionals, academics, and patient and family representatives. This international multidisciplinary panel of 46 members conducted rapid reviews addressing 20 Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes (PICO) questions across six domains: person-centred care; communication and transparency; emotional well-being; equity, diversity, and inclusion; ICU environment; technology and innovation. Based on the evidence synthesis, 53 draft statements were developed and evaluated through a two-round eDelphi study. The final set of statements was discussed and ratified at an expert consensus meeting with the initial panel of experts and with patients and family representatives. A total of 201 international stakeholders participated in round 1 and 149 in round 2. Members of the expert consensus meeting ultimately endorsed 43 consensus statements. Key recommendations supported flexible family visitation, structured interdisciplinary communication, empathy-based staff training, psychological support for patients and ICU professionals, culturally responsive care, environmental interventions to improve sleep and reduce delirium, and the integration of digital supported technologies. The consensus statement on human-centred partnership in the ICU provides a comprehensive framework for clinicians with evidence-informed directions to deliver high-quality practice across diverse ICU settings. By prioritising person-centred care, communication, inclusivity, and well-being alongside responsible technological innovation, the experiences and outcomes of patients, families, and ICU professionals may improve.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.