P11 Satisfaction rates with telephone follow-up clinic appointments

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, telephone follow-up (TFU) clinics have been an integral part of delivering healthcare. Advantages of telephone clinics include reducing costs and increasing efficiency. This quality improvement project (QIP) aims to evaluate patient satisfaction rates in a hot biliary telephone clinic. Methods The Likert-scale is a 13-item questionnaire tool ranging from 1-5 (1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree) and was used to assess patient satisfaction with TFUs. Satisfactory cut-off point (score of 4) was analysed across all responses. Retrospective questionnaires were completed for 100 consented patients. Outcomes included overall satisfaction rate across gender and age groups. Results Overall, 75% of patients were satisfied with TFUs. No statistical difference was found between male and female rates of satisfaction (67.6% and 79.4% respectively, p-value=0.19). Likewise, satisfaction rates did not differ by age (< 50 years: 72.2%, 50-59years: 88.9%, 60-69years: 71.4% and >70years: 72%, p-value: 0.52). Conclusion Most patients were satisfied with TFUs. However, despite initial positive findings, there is still room to improve satisfaction. Prior to a re-evaluation, interventions such as offering patients the option of a telephone consult or a face-to-face appointment will be considered.