The Effects of COVID-19 on Patient’s Perspective of Health Care

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed the way patients access care. While some facilities saw a significant increase in alternative methods of conducting care, such as utilizing telemedicine [1], other areas of care suffered as patients were forced to delay care [2]. These healthcare delivery and reception changes may have altered patients' feelings towards healthcare and potentially disrupted patient/provider trust. This mix-blend study served to identify patients' feelings towards healthcare through a targeted, anonymous survey. Methods: A quality improvement study was implemented in two primary care settings. Data was collected via voluntary and anonymous surveys. The surveys assessed the level of trust the patient had regarding their healthcare pre-COVID-19 and currently. The survey results were then analyzed to determine if there was a correlation between the level of trust and previous healthcare utilization. Results from 74 collected surveys were analyzed to identify if the patient level of trust in the healthcare system had decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The raw data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel, and results did show statistical significance between satisfaction and trust pre and during COVID-19. Conclusion: This study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic did alter patient trust in the healthcare system.