Psychiatry Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Study from the Patients and Caregiver’s Perspective

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had created unexpected challenges in providing quality care for mental health patients. In this setting, patient satisfaction with health services is important as it affects variables such as medication adherence, which translates to better health.Aim: To determine the patients’ satisfaction, concerns and difficulties faced by patients during COVID-19 pandemicMethods: The study was carried out at the Department of Psychiatry, BARC Hospital, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai. To understand the patients’ satisfaction and concerns a questionnaire was developed within the department by the authors. The main themes identified were medication adherence, difficulties in visiting, risk of infection visitinga hospital, patients’ experiences with use of PPE and use of telepsychiatry.Results: The total sample size of our study was, therefore, 206. The mean age of the population visiting the hospital was 52.84 years, with SD = 14.44 and a range 21 to 86 years. The adherence rates were 86.4%. Patients reported benefits from old prescriptions being honored, refilling of prescriptions from dispensaries and online prescriptions through internet messaging. 50.5% of patients preferred to have a direct consultation as opposed to telepsychiatry. Most patients cited ‘personal touch’ as a reason for this preference. Use of PPE was bothersome for the patients.Conclusions: Our study summarizes the distinctive experiences of healthcare delivery from patients’ perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions such as phone access, relaxing norms for online prescription and the need to continue the ‘family physician’ model even for psychiatric services may be acceptable, economical and feasible to the patient.