IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND MARTIAL LAW ON THE SATISFACTION OF THE LVIV REGION RESIDENTS WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY SERVICE (BASED ON THE RESULTS OF A SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY)

Abstract

The aim of the study is to assess the satisfaction of the population of the Lviv region with the work of the diagnostic radiology service, to identify problems and ways to solve them. Materials and Methods. A sociological survey involved 409 individuals who underwent diagnostic X-ray examinations at medical institutions in Lviv and the Lviv region. Results and Discussion. Patients rated the quality of examinations in private medical institutions higher than in public ones. In general, 64.79% [60.1-69.34] of the respondents were completely satisfied with the provided medical diagnostic services, and 25.67% [21.56-30.01] were partially satisfied. Patients had comments regarding the quality of medical equipment, privacy during inspection and examination, as well as cleanliness and comfort in the office/department. There is a need to improve communication between the doctor and the patient: about a quarter of the respondents (23.72% - 28.61%) emphasized that they did not have the opportunity to communicate with the doctor and freely ask questions, and the doctor's explanation of the examination and the algorithm of the procedure were not fully understood and accessible. It was determined that after the introduction of martial law (since February 24, 2022), patients began to complain more often about the inconvenient appointment schedule (10.02% [7.31-13.12]), the impossibility or difficulty of making an appointment (11.25% [ 8.37-14.49]), difficulty in getting a referral for an examination (12.71% [9.67-16.11]), psychological problems (fear, anxiety about the examination result) - 15.16% [11.85-18.79], the distance of the required diagnostic facility from the place of residence (15.40% [12.07-19.06]). Instead, long queues (12.96% [9.88-16.38]), the need to have personal arrangements and contacts with radiologists (4.16% [2.44-6.30]), the inconvenience of the waiting room (3.42% [1.88-5.40]), as well as the duration of the examination itself (2.69% [1.35-4.48]) became less of a concern for patients. Conclusions. The results of the conducted sociological survey proved the appropriate level of availability, promptness, and compliance with standards in the provision of medical diagnostic services. At the same time, several issues were identified in the work of the diagnostic radiology service. It is necessary to focus the attention of heads of medical institutions on the specified blocks of issues since most of them require an organizational solution and do not require additional funding.