Project partner “Was hab’ ich?” introduces automated, personalized information for relatives of mechanically ventilated patients at University Hospital Dresden
As part of the EU-funded IntelliLung research project, the nonprofit organization “Was hab’ ich?” has developed software that generates personalized letters for relatives of mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). For the first time, easy-to-understand information about an ICU stay can be created fully automatically and tailored directly to patients’ families. The letters have been in use at University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden since early 2026.
When a family member is in the intensive care unit, it can be an extremely stressful experience for relatives. In addition to worrying about their family member, they are confronted with an unfamiliar environment filled with medical devices, tubes, and alarm sounds. At the same time, the demands of everyday clinical care often leave healthcare professionals with limited time to explain everything in detail. In stressful situations, information may also be misunderstood or quickly forgotten. As part of the IntelliLung project, personalized letters are now being generated for the first time to provide relatives with clear, plain-language information about their loved one’s intensive care treatment.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 70 family members of ICU patients at the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Dresden University Hospital have received such a letter. Initial verbal feedback has been very positive. An accompanying questionnaire-based study is evaluating how families perceive the letters and what impact they have. Results of the evaluation are expected by the end of 2027.
The letters are generated automatically using routine clinical data that are already collected in a structured format. With the click of a button, treating physicians can generate a letter based on the patient’s current clinical data and provide it to family members during a conversation. The letter explains in accessible language which treatments and procedures are being used and how they work. These may include mechanical ventilation, continuous blood pressure monitoring, blood purification therapies, or artificial nutrition. A dynamically adapted overview graphic shows the key devices at the patient’s bedside at a glance. Plain-language background information on organ function and processes within the body provides additional context. The letters also include information about the ICU team, the meaning of alarm signals, and contact details for important support services such as social services, patient counseling, and crisis hotlines.
“Families are often deeply unsettled by the unfamiliar ICU environment and have many questions. The letter is intended to ease some of that burden and help them have more focused conversations with physicians and nursing staff. From our many years of work and research, we know how much patient letters can help patients themselves. We are convinced that family members can benefit just as much from clear and understandable information,” explains Rebekka Post, physician and IntelliLung project lead at “Was hab’ ich?”.
Dr. Jakob Wittenstein, Principal Investigator of the IntelliLung study at Dresden University Hospital, adds: “In the IntelliLung project, we are investigating how artificial intelligence can support physicians in tailoring invasive mechanical ventilation to each patient’s individual clinical situation. However, alongside modern and powerful technology, human decision-making remains essential to providing the best possible care for critically ill patients. Because family members often play an important role in medical decision-making, transparent and understandable communication is crucial. These letters for relatives make a valuable contribution to that goal.”