Patient and provider experiences with virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the rapid uptake of Virtual Care (VC). Positive patient outcomes with VC are previously reported but little is known about the experiences of patients and providers using VC during the pandemic. We aimed to describe patient and primary care provider experiences, satisfaction, perceptions, and attitudes to VC during the COVID-19 pandemic that might explain adoption of VC across the continuum of care and inform sustained uptake. We conducted a sequential explanatory mixed methods study using online surveys and virtual interviews with a convenience sample of primary care providers and patients in a Canadian province (July – December 2020). Eligible participants included patients and primary care providers using VC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey responses and interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respectively. Overall satisfaction was compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Eighty-five patients and 94 primary care providers responded to the surveys. Patients reported higher overall satisfaction with VC than primary care providers (median [interquartile range]: 4.4 [4.0-4.7] and 3.7 [3.4-3.9] p Experience Framework This article is associated with the Staff & Provider Engagement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens.

Keywords

• patient experience
• patient satisfaction
• patient-centered care
• patient engagement
• measurement
• quality of care
• virtual care
• telehealth
• covid-19