Online Survey on the Management of the COVID-19 Pandemic by Consultation-Liaison Psychosomatics

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to consultation-liaison services in psychosomatic, psychiatric, and psychological departments of intensive care units. Healthcare professionals faced the immense pressure of supporting patients, families, and colleagues in a high-stakes environment. This study addresses the urgent need to understand the experiences and challenges encountered by these services during this crisis to inform future preparedness. The research question guiding this study is: How did consultation-liaison services in psychosomatic, psychiatric, and psychological departments of intensive care units adapt to the challenges of providing psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what measures are needed to enhance future responses to similar crises? The purpose of this survey is to provide a comprehensive overview of the psychosocial care provided during the pandemic, evaluate the effectiveness of existing support systems, and identify areas for improvement in collaboration, resource allocation, and training. The study's importance lies in its potential to inform the development of robust and effective strategies for psychosocial support in future pandemics, enhancing the resilience of healthcare systems and the well-being of all stakeholders.

While no specific literature review section is explicitly provided in the document, the introduction implicitly refers to the lack of established preparedness for the psychosocial impact of a pandemic of this scale. The document acknowledges the novel nature of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to consultation-liaison services, suggesting that existing literature may not fully address the specific issues encountered.

The study employed an online survey using the Questback EFS platform. One participant per consultation-liaison service was invited to participate, nominated by their respective management. The survey was anonymous and pseudonymised using a unique individual code generated by the participant to protect their identity. Data collection and analysis were conducted with ethical approvals from relevant committees in Germany and Switzerland. The survey was available in German, French, and Italian. The survey contained questions regarding the hospital's involvement in somatic care of COVID-19 patients; location of COVID-19 patient treatment; frequency of psychosocial support availability; specific support measures for patients, families, and staff; established collaborations for psychosocial support; development of new or enhanced support structures; presence of a designated psychosocial representative in the crisis unit; assessment of stress levels experienced by the psychosocial team; and needs and recommendations for future support. Data was stored and analyzed at the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, with anonymized datasets shared with collaborating institutions in Germany and Austria for analysis and interpretation. The data collection tool was Questback EFS, hosted on a secure server in Frankfurt, Germany. Data storage complies with GDPR and Swiss data protection laws, with a retention period of 10 years.

The key findings are not directly presented in the document preview. The provided text is primarily the survey's introduction and methodology description. The actual data and results from the survey responses are absent from this portion of the document. To extract key findings, the completed survey data would need to be analyzed. The survey however aimed to gather data on various aspects, including: Hospital involvement in somatic care of COVID-19 patients; Location of COVID-19 patient treatment; Frequency of psychosocial support; Specific support measures for patients, families, and staff; Established collaborations for psychosocial support; Development of new or enhanced support structures; Stress levels experienced by the psychosocial team; and Future support needs.

Once the survey data is collected and analyzed, the discussion section would address how the findings answer the research questions. It would interpret the results in the context of existing literature on psychosocial care in healthcare settings during crises. The discussion would address the effectiveness of various support interventions, the challenges encountered by consultation-liaison teams, and the implications of the findings for improving psychosocial care during future pandemics. The significance of the results would be highlighted in relation to resource allocation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the well-being of healthcare workers. The limitations of the study design, such as potential response bias and the specific context of the pandemic, would be acknowledged.

The study's conclusion would summarize the key insights gained regarding psychosocial care during the COVID-19 pandemic. It would highlight the most effective interventions and identify areas needing improvement in future pandemic preparedness. This could include recommendations for training, resource allocation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The potential for future research could involve longitudinal studies to evaluate the long-term impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers' well-being or comparative analyses across different healthcare systems.

The limitations of the study will depend on the final data analysis. However, potential limitations include sampling bias (only one participant per service), response rate, and self-reported data's potential subjectivity. Generalizability might be affected by the specific context of the participating hospitals and the countries involved (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). The study’s reliance on a single time point might limit understanding of the evolving nature of psychosocial needs throughout the pandemic.