Abstract
PurposeIn the last months, Italy faced a COVID-19 emergency and implemented preventive measures in order to protect patients and healthcare providers from a disease outbreak. The pandemic control strategies impacted patient experience directly. Questionnaires evaluating patients reported measures (PREMs) may assess critical issues and represent a helpful tool to measure the patient perception of healthcare service. Our aim was to prospectively assess patient satisfaction about doctor–patient interaction in a high-volume radiation therapy and oncology center during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsCancer patients receiving either systemic and/or radiation treatment underwent a survey. Two validated questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30, FACIT-TS-G version 1) and 14 specific questions evaluating patients’ perception of COVID-19 measures were administered.ResultsOne hundred twenty-five patients admitted to our department from 1–30 April 2020 completed the questionnaires. The majority (66.4%) of patients were women and the most common disease was breast cancer (40%). The average Global Health Status (GHS) of EORTC QLQ-C30 was 61.67. Emotional functioning, social, and cognitive domains obtained scores of 75.48, 80.13, and 84.67, respectively. FACIT-TS-G results revealed 120 patients rated the treatments effective and 108 patients thought the side effects were the same as expected or better. Most (89.6%) rated their treatment good, very good, or excellent. Concerning COVID-19-related questions, patients reported overall very good level of information.ConclusionsDespite the introduction of strict COVID-19 control measures, there was a high level of cancer outpatient satisfaction. The satisfaction levels may influence compliance, continuity of treatments, and patient–doctor communication, impacting the quality of clinical care in the next phases of the pandemic.
Highlights
IntroductionThere is a high risk of severe pulmonary infection and death, for the elderly and populations with comorbidities [4, 5]
On March 11, 2020, the WHO Director-General confirmed the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease a pandemic with a veryFlorence, Italy 4 Radiation Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-UniversitariaCareggi, Florence, Italy high case-fatality rate
The majority of COVID-19 infections are characterized by mild symptoms such as temperature ≥ 37.8 °C, cough, ageusia, and anosmia [3]
Summary
There is a high risk of severe pulmonary infection and death, for the elderly and populations with comorbidities [4, 5]. In Italy, COVID-19 has led to severe overloading on the national healthcare system and prompted a series of containment measures impacting healthcare services. On March 8, the Italian Government implemented extraordinary hospital measures aiming to decrease the viral transmission from patient to patient and to health professionals [6]. This involved temperature check and hand disinfection before all departments admittance and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by health professionals and patients.
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