Patient’S Perspective On The Implementation Of Measures To Contain The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic In A Portuguese Gastroenterology Department

Aims As the COVID-19 pandemic races around the world, hospital departments had to adapt their activities, which could ultimately jeopardize patient’s best interests. Our gastroenterology department of Centro Hospitalar Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho (CHVNG/E) was forced to undergo dynamic changes and adjusted its clinical practice. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the patient’s perspective to the implementation of SARS-CoV-2 measures in our department.

Methods A survey with 13 questions was created using an online platform and available to the patients via an automatic short message service (SMS). To be included patients had to have at least one gastroenterology appointment at our center in the year 2019.

Results 973 patients completed the survey between April 27^th and May 24^th 2020, 51.6 % females, 82.6 % with less than 65 years-old. 50.7 % patients were not working. 49.5 % had an appointment for monitoring a suspected or established Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). 76.8 % and 69.6 % agreed in postponing endoscopic and non-endoscopic procedures, respectively. 93.6, 94.3 % and 95.7 % patients declared to be worried about postponing of endoscopic procedures, non-endoscopic procedures and medical visits, respectively. 88.8 % supported remote consultations and 77.3 % were satisfied with this type of appointment, independently of the age group (p = 0.66). 80.9 % of IBD patients treated with immunosuppression (IS) or biologics were concerned about a severe infection by COVID-19. However, only 42.5 % assume to feel safer with a SARS-CoV-2 screening before treatment.

Conclusions Around 80 % of respondents had less than 65 years old and a great part belong to IBD appointments, which could be due to the fact that these patients are usually younger and more easily adapted to electronic devices and online surveys. The majority agreed in postponing procedures, although they feel concerned with this situation. Almost all patients supported remote consultations, and most patients found them positive.

Citation Gomes C, Ponte A, Pinho R et al. eP500 PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO CONTAIN THE SARS-COV-2 PANDEMIC IN A PORTUGUESE GASTROENTEROLOGY DEPARTMENT. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S264.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021