Comparative Analysis of Patient Satisfaction on Pre-Pandemic Conventional Outpatient Consultations and Teleconsultations during the COVID-19 Health Crisis among Patients in Metro Manila

Abstract

Teleconsultation emerged as an alternative to conventional medical consultations during the COVID-19 crisis. Preferences between these modes of consultation are affected by factors influencing patient satisfaction. The study aimed to compare patient satisfaction based on communication, ease of accessibility, confidentiality and privacy, and healthcare outcomes or efficacy. Through a 6-point Scale, cross-sectional-based survey, satisfaction for both modes of consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic from 91 participants, aged 18 to 65 from Metro Manila were analyzed; patient demographics were also collected for profiling. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for hypothesis testing (α= 0.05). Most have availed teleconsultation services at least once a year (42.90%), while majority (78%) had stable internet connection. Respondents mostly used Facebook on mobile phones for teleconsultation. The teleconsultation factors which show highest satisfaction are communication (M = 4.99) and ease of accessibility (M = 4.79). The factors confidentiality and privacy (M = 5.03) and healthcare outcomes (M = 4.75) leaned more towards conventional consultation. There is no significant difference between the satisfaction of patients between conventional outpatient consultation and teleconsultation. Widening the scope of the study for future research may show significance between the satisfaction levels.