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Publisher: Peytchinski Publishing Ltd.
ISSN: 1312-773X (Online)
Issue: 2022, vol. 28, issue4
Subject Area: Public Health
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DOI: 10.5272/jimab.2022284.4601
Published online: 11 October 2022
Original article
J of IMAB. 2022 Oct-Dec;28(4):4601-4605
PATIENTS' OPINIONS ON OUTPATIENT MEDICAL CARE DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS
Tihomira Zlatanova
, Nikolay Popov,
Department of Health Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
ABSTRACT:
COVID-19 was a challenge which tested the entirety of our country's healthcare system from 2020-2021. The pandemic was an emergency, quite dynamic, and necessitated quick and thoughtful actions. Ever since the official announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria and the first reported cases from 08.03.2020 to 30.09.2020, the total number of registered cases has risen to 500112. This fact was the reason we conducted a survey among 531 patients from all over the country regarding the changes in their access to the doctor's office and the methods they used for contacting their general practitioner for the period from March 2020 to April 2021.The results show that over 51.41% of participants have seen an improvement in their access to their GP's office due to the fewer patients visiting the office. At the same time, 42.18% of participants reported they received phone consults or had their phone calls returned during their general practitioner's working hours. 26.18% of respondents have received phone consults regardless of the time. 30.70% of respondents have communicated with their GP via Viber; 14.50% via messenger; 6.03% via email.
Keywords: Covid-19, organization, access, communication methods, general practitioner,
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Please cite this article as: Zlatanova T, Popov N. Patients’ opinions on outpatient medical care during the Covid-19 crisis. J of IMAB. 2022 Oct-Dec;28(4):4601-4605. DOI: 10.5272/jimab.2022284.4601
Correspondence to: Tihomira Zlatanova, Department of Health Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University-Sofia; 8, Bialo More Str., 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria; E-mail: t.zlatanova@foz-mu.sofia.bg
REFERENCES:
1. [Spread of COVID-19 around the world - data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control] [in Bulgarian] [Internet]
2. [Health Act. (suppl. SG. No. 41 of June 3, 2022) ] [in Bulgarian] [Internet]
3. [Health Insurance Act. (suppl. SG. No. 32 of April 26, 2022.) ] [in Bulgarian] [Internet]
4. [Law on measures and actions during the state of emergency, declared by decision of the National assembly of march 13, 2020 and on overcoming the consequences (title supplement - SG no. 44 of 2020, effective from 14.05.2020)] [in Bulgarian] [Internet]
5. [Order No. RD-01-124 for introduction of anti-epidemic measures in the country (revoked by Order No. RD-01-263 / 14.05.2020)] [in Bulgarian] [Internet]
6. [The national plan to deal with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic] 2021. [in Bulgarian] [Internet]
Received: 08 February 2022
Published online: 11 October 2022