Planetree International to Bring Innovative Post-ICU Journal to US

The Netherland's Queen Maxima Witnesses Agreement for Award-Winning Program that Reduces Post-Intensive Care Syndrome

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Planetree International has partnered with Netherlands-based We All Journal to bring a ground-breaking therapy for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients to the United States.

On September 6, 2022, at San Francisco City Hall, Planetree Chief Operating Officer Michael Giuliano and Jurriann van Rijswijk, Founder and Director of We All Journal, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, making Planetree the exclusive U.S. distributor of the award-winning Post-ICU journal.

Developed by anesthesiologist-intensivist Dr. Marc Buise of the Dutch Eindhoven Catharina Hospital and We All Journal, the Post-ICU journal is an innovative, patient-centered digital diary that has been shown to help patients with Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) which is defined as newly acquired or progressively worsening impairment in cognition, mental health, and physical functioning. PICS impacts 50-70% of patients discharged from an ICU.

"Our work with We All Journal is a true partnership to ensure that we are bringing the best in person-centered innovation to caregivers, patients, and their family throughout the United States." said Michael Giuliano, Chief Operating Officer at Planetree International. "We are honored to have been selected as We All Journal's exclusive fulfillment partner, and we look forward to advancing our mission to humanize healthcare by continuing to make a positive impact on the health, well-being, and recovery of patients across the country."

Recognized with the National Healthcare Innovation Award in the Netherlands in 2021, the Post-ICU journal helps patients who have received intensive care process the trauma of their critical illness or injury and the hospitalization that is required. The secure digital journal allows relatives and nurses to privately document events that occur during a patient's admittance and stay in the ICU. Studies show that when patients and families can read an accounting of events that occurred during a hospital stay, they are better able to process the ICU period upon returning home. This contributes to a better mental and physical recovery, significantly reducing the symptoms of PICS.

Planetree International is facilitating hospital and healthcare system adoption of the Post-ICU journal because it is an innovative and highly effective utility to enable the delivery of person-centered care, which emphasizes the quality of human interactions, caring communication, the importance of connecting caregivers to the deeper purpose of their work, and practical strategies for engaging patients, families, and communities as partners. The promise of the Post-ICU journal is already being realized. The digital journal was recently adopted by Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT, under the supervision of Planetree International, marking the first implementation of Post-ICU in the United States.

"Admission to an ICU can be incredibly difficult and isolating for patients and their loved ones," said Dr. Marya Chaisson, Griffin Hospital's ICU Medical Director "The patient's trauma can be made worse when they have no clear recollection of being admitted and their memories of the experience are vague and fragmented, resulting in insomnia, amnesia, anxiety, feelings of depression, or having trouble concentrating. Family members may also experience a feeling of powerlessness, severe insecurity, and anxiety. When this time is 'given back' to them in the form of messages, photos, drawings, videos, and sound recordings, physical and mental recovery is dramatically improved."

Griffin Hospital has earned a reputation as a leader in person-centered care, achieving Gold-Certified in Person-Centered Excellence by Planetree International four times, and in being named as one of the World's Best Hospitals by Newsweek for the fourth consecutive year. Along with Griffin, Planetree has supported several hospitals in the Netherlands with the introduction and implementation the Post-ICU journal.

Planetree is a passionate not-for-profit global healthcare leader setting the global standard for person-centered excellence across the continuum of care. Unlike formulaic approaches, Planetree honors the unique qualities of organizations and partners to strengthen meaningful connections between staff, patients, families, and communities. Powered by over 50,000 patients and families, and over 40 years of experience working with global healthcare organizations, Planetree delivers the leading evidence-based framework for co-designing organizational roadmaps to improved patient and family engagement, better clinical outcomes, increased staff retention and recruitment, and high value care. Learn more at Planetree.org.

For more information:
Melissa Lampi
Marketing Director, Planetree International
[email protected]
P. 203.444.5431

SOURCE Planetree International