Rachael Phenicie1, Rosemary Acosta Wright2, Jeffrey Holzberg2. 1. Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. 2. Clinical Research Department, Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., Douglas, Arizona, USA.
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to analyze patient satisfaction with telehealth in a rural county on the United States-Mexico border after rapid expansion of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., a federally qualified health center in southeastern Arizona, conducted phone surveys with 562 patients to measure various outcomes related to patient satisfaction and experience with telehealth between June and August 2020. Data from patient surveys were analyzed within the following age categories: <18 years (37%), 18-34 years (19%), 35-54 years (15%), and 55+ years (29%). Results and Discussion: Patients were overall satisfied with telehealth (87%) and believed the quality of care was just as good as or better than in-person appointments (88%). Many would be willing to try telehealth in the future (54%). Distance/convenience (odds ratio [OR] = 5.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.80-8.97), ease of scheduling (OR = 3.82, 95% CI 1.30-11.21), and protection from potential exposure to coronavirus (OR = 3.01, 95% CI 1.57-5.75) were all strongly predictive of overall satisfaction scores. Adults within the 35-54 (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.10-0.81) and 55+ (OR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.14-0.95) age groups were overall less satisfied with telehealth compared with younger adults 18-34 years. Underlying health conditions and primary language were not correlated with satisfaction in using telehealth. Conclusions: Telehealth may be an effective tool for overcoming barriers and providing rural patients with access to health care without compromising patient satisfaction.
Background: The aim of this study was to analyze patient satisfaction with telehealth in a rural county on the United States-Mexico border after rapid expansion of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., a federally qualified health center in southeastern Arizona, conducted phone surveys with 562 patients to measure various outcomes related to patient satisfaction and experience with telehealth between June and August 2020. Data from patient surveys were analyzed within the following age categories: <18 years (37%), 18-34 years (19%), 35-54 years (15%), and 55+ years (29%). Results and Discussion: Patients were overall satisfied with telehealth (87%) and believed the quality of care was just as good as or better than in-person appointments (88%). Many would be willing to try telehealth in the future (54%). Distance/convenience (odds ratio [OR] = 5.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.80-8.97), ease of scheduling (OR = 3.82, 95% CI 1.30-11.21), and protection from potential exposure to coronavirus (OR = 3.01, 95% CI 1.57-5.75) were all strongly predictive of overall satisfaction scores. Adults within the 35-54 (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.10-0.81) and 55+ (OR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.14-0.95) age groups were overall less satisfied with telehealth compared with younger adults 18-34 years. Underlying health conditions and primary language were not correlated with satisfaction in using telehealth. Conclusions: Telehealth may be an effective tool for overcoming barriers and providing rural patients with access to health care without compromising patient satisfaction.
Authors: Michelle-Linh T Nguyen; Faviola Garcia; Jennifer Juarez; Billy Zeng; Elaine C Khoong; Malini A Nijagal; Urmimala Sarkar; George Su; Courtney R Lyles Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-02-14 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: Carolyn A Berry; Lorraine Kwok; Rachel Massar; Ji Eun Chang; Zoe Lindenfeld; Donna R Shelley; Stephanie L Albert Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2022-09-27 Impact factor: 6.473