Patients’ preferences: Comparing the quality of medical services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of infections and a need for medical consultations forced the society to implement remote forms of contact with patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the experiences and preferences of patients regarding the doctor-patient relationship. A quantitative study was conducted using the CAWI technique. The study involved 1011 adult patients who were consulted by their family physicians. The patients generally declared unfavorable changes regarding their access to medical services. While comparing the experiences before and during the pandemic, most patients (70.3%) revealed that they had difficulties accessing their family physicians. Many patients (83.1%) preferred a personal visit as a form of consultation. Identification of the constraints relating to the COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to optimizing the health care system, particularly the organization of remote medical consultations.