Content Analysis of Social Media Posts about the Bayanihan e-Konsulta Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case in the Philippines

Abstract

Background: In response to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, Bayanihan E-Konsulta (BEK) was launched to provide free teleconsultation services. As healthcare started shifting online to respond to the public’s health needs, there was little understanding of the beneficiary experience during their remote interaction with the healthcare provider and its related services. With this, the study aimed to describe the presence experience and valued service processes among the beneficiaries of BEK. Methods: One hundred seventy-five posts and tweets from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were gathered using search terms relating to BEK and hashtags from April 2021 to May 2022. After the exclusion of irrelevant data, data that do not contain the following criteria: 1) Date of posting: April 5, 2021, to May 31, 2022; 2) Location: Philippines; and 3) written in Filipino or English language, direct and thematic content analyses were conducted to determine the beneficiaries’ experience and valued service process with BEK. Findings: This directed analysis uncovered that beneficiaries highlighted Operational Presence the most in their BEK-related posts, followed by Clinical Presence, Social Presence, and Therapeutic Presence. Subsequently, the thematic analysis surfaced the four most valued service process themes: chatbot-aided assessment, immediate volunteer response, comprehensive medical attention, and empathetic care and concern. Conclusion: This study emphasized the services to which the beneficiaries of Bayanihan E-Konsulta hold high regard, specifically the important role of quick response, efficient service, and client-centered approaches that created a comfortable and accessible setting for receiving and rendering care. The findings may help teleconsultation and other healthcare service providers understand how to enhance their service processes for better service delivery, patient health outcomes, and satisfaction.