Abstract
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic required rapid implementation of virtual antenatal care to keep pregnant women safe. This transition from face-to-face usual care had to be embraced by patients and professionals alike.ObjectiveWe evaluated patients’ and professionals’ experiences with virtual antenatal clinic appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine satisfaction and inquire into the safety and quality of care received.MethodsA total of 148 women who attended a virtual antenatal clinic appointment at our UK tertiary obstetric care center over a 2-week period provided feedback (n=92, 62% response rate). A further 37 health care professionals (HCPs) delivering care in the virtual antenatal clinics participated in another questionnaire study (37/45, 82% response rate).ResultsWe showed that women were highly satisfied with the virtual clinics, with 86% (127/148) rating their experience as good or very good, and this was not associated with any statistically significant differences in age (P=.23), ethnicity (P=.95), number of previous births (P=.65), or pregnancy losses (P=.94). Even though 56% (83/148) preferred face-to-face appointments, 44% (65/148) either expressed no preference or preferred virtual, and these preferences were not associated with significant differences in patient demographics. For HCPs, 67% (18/27) rated their experience of virtual clinics as good or very good, 78% (21/27) described their experience as the same or better than face-to-face clinics, 15% (4/27) preferred virtual clinics, and 44% (12/27) had no preference. Importantly, 67% (18/27) found it easy or very easy to adapt to virtual clinics. Over 90% of HCPs agreed virtual clinics should be implemented long-term.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates high satisfaction with telephone antenatal clinics during the pandemic, which supports the transition toward widespread digitalization of antenatal care suited to 21st-century patients and professionals.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to obstetric departments worldwide, resulting in increased pressures on the delivery of routine antenatal care
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the majority of antenatal care was rapidly transformed to virtual care in the United Kingdom, it was unclear how pregnant women felt about this shift in culture
The aim of this study is to evaluate patient and health care professional (HCP) satisfaction, preferences, and experiences of a virtual antenatal clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic from a tertiary obstetric hospital in the United Kingdom
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to obstetric departments worldwide, resulting in increased pressures on the delivery of routine antenatal care. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommended a minimum of six antenatal appointments (a reduction from the usual eight face-to-face visits). This only accounted for low-risk pregnancies, as higher risk women still required specialist antenatal clinic appointments. The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid implementation of virtual antenatal care to keep pregnant women safe. This transition from face-to-face usual care had to be embraced by patients and professionals alike
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