ABSTRACT
Here we discuss the overall level of satisfaction of patients at COVID-19 treatment centers and distinguish the dimensions, which have the most significant influence on overall satisfaction. The data were composed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire via using distant communication mode and 206 participants covering 55 treatment centers across Sri Lanka were interviewed from 01st March 2021 to 01st April 2021 and analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. The findings implicit that there is a positive relationship between dimensions of satisfaction on food, sanitary and toilet conditions, and patient care and management with the overall satisfaction of patients which is the dependent variable in this study. The satisfaction of patient care and management has a higher significant influence on overall satisfaction. In multiple linear regression analysis, all independent variables have a positive association with the dependent variable while having a negative intercept. These findings will admit health officials to have a better understanding of aspects, which have a greater and weaker influence on the overall satisfaction of COVID-19 patients and take required measures.
KEYWORDS: Global Pandemic, Overall satisfaction, Multiple linear regression
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
COVID-19 is an acute respiratory tract infection emerged in December 2019. It has flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, breathing difficulties, fatigue, and muscle pain. COVID-19 was recognized as a highly infectious disease and can be a life-threatening disease by World Health Organization and was declared as a global pandemic on 11th March 2020 by WHO and declared countries to practice social distancing, frequently washing hands, and decrease the population density in healthcare premises to minimize community transmission of COVID-19 as ways of preventing and mitigating pandemic (Ferguson et al. 2020).
Sri Lanka is situated in the South Asian region in close proximity to southernmost tip of India and has a population of 21.9 million (Central Bank of Sri Lanka 2020). The first COVID-19 case in Sri Lanka was reported on 28th January 2020 and since then up to 31st of December 2021, number of total confirmed cases are 586,746, number of deaths are 14,962, and 560,313 are reported as recovered cases (Ministry of Health, 2021).
The different response of Sri Lanka towards COVID-19 prevention and mitigation is a strong and major focus on preventive approach and contact tracing with application of existing resources in a rational manner. All patients tested COVID-19 positive were admitted to designated hospitals and whether patients were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, all were admitted for isolation, ensuring that COVID-19 spread was kept under tight control (Karunathilake et al. 2020; WHO 2020).
Although this approach was proven effective during early phase of pandemic, with time became evident that it is not sustainable due to rapid increase in number of COVID-19 confirmed cases since October 2020. This caused due to expected deviation from stringent control measures caused first major surge faced by country (WHO 2020; Epidemiology Unit 2020).
During this surge, high risk of beyond capacity of health system due to rapid rise in number of COVID-19 patients and establishment of smooth functioning healthcare services was problematic due to unmet needs of patients. It was no longer possible for all positive tested patients to admit and isolate in designated hospitals. Ministry of Health (MoH) was compelled to take exceptional measures to face this unforeseen situation. The concept of forming Intermediate Care Centers (ICC) with facilities to isolate large numbers of patients with minimum or no symptoms was introduced in October 2020 Those were initiated with a basic care level service during a very short period due to rapidly rising positive numbers.
The patients were distributed to 4 levels of COVID care centers: Level 1 centers were COVID tertiary care hospitals with ICU facilities, Level 2 COVID centers were COVID secondary care hospitals such as district hospitals and base hospitals in Sri Lanka. Similarly, Level 3 centers were COVID ICCs and Level 4 centers were primary care hospitals with intermediate care facilities.
When developing these centers many aspects were addressed such as psychological, socio- cultural and demographical and other associated limitations have to be considered in addition to management of service and technical capacities to mitigate disease status. Therefore, to develop and improve further, care level and overall service, it is vital to assess and evaluate COVID-19 patients’ experience and satisfaction who were isolated/ treated in these facilities.
Seeking for treatment is a patient’s right and provision of required and accepted healthcare at an institution with comfort is responsiveness to patients’ need. The extent or degree to patients are pleased with healthcare facilities including both inside and outside is patient satisfaction (Alkureishi et al. 2016).
This study aims to assess patients’ overall satisfaction and associated factors among COVID-19 patients admitted in healthcare facilities in Sri Lanka.
Therefore, this survey was conducted to assess and evaluate patients’ experience and satisfaction with service provided at COVID-19 treatment and quarantine facilities run by Sri Lankan government.