Healthcare and Community Service Utilisation in Older Survivors of Critical Illness

This prospective observational study will describe healthcare and community service utilisation among older adults who survive critical illness and return to the community following hospital discharge. Participants will be adults aged 65 years or older who have been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) for at least 48 hours and survive to hospital discharge. Healthcare and community service use will be assessed during the first 90 days after hospital discharge using weekly telephone surveys, participant-completed health diaries, and review of participants' electronic medical records. The study will describe use of general practitioner, medical specialist, allied health, nursing and community services, as well as self-reported needs and barriers to accessing these services, emergency department presentations, hospital readmissions and mortality. Findings will help inform the development of future models of follow-up care for older survivors of critical illness.