Satisfaction with new patient telehealth visits for reproductive endocrinology patients in the era of COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose To study patient satisfaction with new patient telehealth visits in a reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) office. Methods A cross-sectional study in a university-based fertility clinic was completed including all new patients seen via telehealth between March 1, 2021, and August 19, 2021. Primary outcomes were perceived patient satisfaction, access, and preferences to telehealth visits. Results A total of 351 participants were contacted, 61.8% (n = 217) agreed to participate in the study, and 28.8% (n = 101) completed the survey. There were no significant differences in age, BMI, distance from clinic, or length of infertility with response to survey. Ninety-three percent of responders would use telehealth services again and were satisfied with the telehealth system. Telehealth improved access to healthcare for 88% and travel time for 96%. The median distance from clinic was 24 miles, and there was no significance difference in preference for telehealth visits over in person visits (p = 0.696). Conclusions In the era of COVID-19, healthcare implementation has dramatically changed with a drastic increase in telehealth services. Based on our survey, majority of patients were satisfied with telehealth visits and believed it saved travel time while improving access to REI care. Despite no differences in patient preference for in person versus telehealth depending on their distance from clinic, this is reassuring because patients are satisfied with telehealth for reasons other than distance from clinic.

Patient perspectives of telehealth for fertility care: a national survey

“…Regarding travel time, studies in other specialties found that preference for telehealth increases when patients live more than 5 miles from the office [ 22 ]. However, previous studies examining fertility patients have demonstrated no preference for telehealth visits based on distance from the office [ 4 ]. In the current study, we did not see that distance from the fertility clinic impacted patient satisfaction in our survey, but the sample size was underpowered to detect this difference.…”

“…Our results are in line with the current limited data available on fertility patient perspectives toward telehealth. Anderson et al demonstrated similar rates of high patient satisfaction using telehealth and reported a similar rate of patient preference (61%) for telehealth follow-up visits at a single academic fertility center [ 4 ]. Our respondents’ levels of satisfaction also mimic provider attitudes toward telehealth, which are in general quite high (>90%) [ 24 ], indicating acceptability toward telehealth on both sides of the screen.…”

“…In the Netherlands, one study found that while telehealth was rated as a good alternative to in-person visits during the pandemic, only half of respondents described telehealth as a good replacement [ 11 ]. While in the USA at a single academic fertility center, patients reported high overall patient satisfaction and willingness to use telehealth again [ 4 ]. Conversely, at another academic fertility center, in a study mainly to investigate on fertility patients’ quality of life during COVID-19, patients reported low patient satisfaction with telehealth (<10%), and less than half of patients reported willingness to use telehealth again [ 12 ].…”

“…Conversely, at another academic fertility center, in a study mainly to investigate on fertility patients’ quality of life during COVID-19, patients reported low patient satisfaction with telehealth (<10%), and less than half of patients reported willingness to use telehealth again [ 12 ]. Both studies were limited in respondent size (101 and 66 respondents, respectively) [ 4 , 12 ] and investigated patients confined to a single, urban fertility center.…”

“…Prior to the pandemic, telehealth had been trialed in a variety of healthcare fields but its practical, widespread use was limited due to reimbursement, regulation, and technology barriers along with lower patient and clinician acceptance [1]. Research conducted during the pandemic shows acceptance of telehealth has increased among patients [2][3][4][5]. Telehealth use across all outpatient healthcare visits has stabilized to 17% from its peak of 32% in April 2020 [6].…”