User satisfaction with telecare during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge to the mental health network in managing the demand for care. As in other sectors, social distancing has accelerated the adoption of new technologies in healthcare. At Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu (PSSJD), we believe that the experience and opinions of users are of paramount importance when evaluating and implementing new care models. At PSSJD, we have assessed user satisfaction with the telehealth services received during the lockdown period in Spain.
We surveyed 364 people receiving care at PSSJD mental health centers between April 20 and May 22, 2020. Most participants reported having a mobile device with internet access, feeling comfortable with new technologies, and having received remote assistance during the lockdown. The average satisfaction score with the remote assistance received was 9.24 on a scale of 1 to 10, and satisfaction with the assistance received during the lockdown was generally rated as "the same" compared to the previous period.
Approximately half of the participants would agree that some visits should be conducted remotely after the lockdown.
Three out of four people surveyed agreed to continue having online visits in the future, and one in four considered that most visits should be conducted remotely. One in five would prefer that follow-up be done exclusively in person.
Dr. Giovanni di Girolamo
Those receiving care prefer the telephone to video calls as a means of communication and would use it to resolve doubts and urgent issues or to follow up on their problem. Regarding procedures at the centers, users prefer to use WhatsApp and email, primarily for processing reports and renewing electronic prescriptions. It is clear that La Meva Salut, the personal health space of the Catalan health system, is not yet fully implemented.
Being female, living with another person, and suffering from depressive disorders were the most significant factors associated with a positive predisposition to receive remote assistance at the end of the lockdown. Users who reported feeling uncomfortable or very uncomfortable with new technologies showed a lower predisposition.
Telehealth is a resource that was largely accepted by mental health service users surveyed during the lockdown period, and the willingness to continue using it after the pandemic is high. Incorporating it into the care model in specific situations can help optimize resources and improve healthcare.
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