A Nationwide Natural Experiment of e-Health Implementation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland: User Satisfaction and the Ease-of-Use of Remote Physician’s Visits

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a considerable increase in the use of e-health applications. Shortly after confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 in Poland, the Ministry of Health allowed for the general use of remote physician’s visits (RPVs) as a substitute for traditional visits to the physician’s office. It was estimated that during the first year of the pandemic, as many as 80% of primary care visits were provided remotely, mainly by phone. This study’s main aim was to assess the use of e-health services in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the factors related to user satisfaction and positive assessment of the ease-of-use of RPVs were analyzed. The analysis was based on data obtained from a computer-assisted web-based interviewing (CAWI) survey among 2410 adult Internet users in Poland. The questionnaire consisted of 55 items, including a 16-item European Health Literacy Questionnaire, an 8-item e-Health Literacy scale, a set of questions about the use of and experience with e-health services during the pandemic, and items exploring the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents. Univariate logistic regression models were developed for variables reflecting user satisfaction and the assessment of the ease-of-use of RPVs. The use of RPVs increased during the pandemic by about 200%. Higher health literacy and e-health literacy, older age, higher income, a greater number of e-health services used before the pandemic, and telephone-based remote visits were significantly associated with higher user satisfaction and ease-of-use of RPVs. Respondents using RPVs for renewal of prescriptions were more favorable in assessing satisfaction and ease-of-use. A less positive assessment of satisfaction and ease-of-use was provided by students and vocationally passive persons in comparison to the employed. Finally, the perception of the threat of COVID-19 was associated with higher satisfaction and better assessment of ease-of-use. Persons declaring the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were more likely to be satisfied with remote visits. User satisfaction and the feeling of ease-of-use in the case of remote advice provided by a physician depend on many factors. Significant predictors include selected sociodemographic and economic variables, determinants associated with the perception of the threat of COVID-19, the aims and tools used for the RPVs, and earlier experience with e-health services.

Assessments of and Attitudes towards Specialist Teleconsultations among Nephrology and Posttransplant Outpatients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…From March 2020 to the end of 2021, nephrologists and transplantologists from the entire Lodz Voivodeship conducted 31,694 visits, of which 36.5% (n = 11 578) were TCs [20]. In this period, there were a total of 16 754 nephrology and/or transplantology consultations conducted in our studied outpatient clinics, of which 38.92% (n = 6 520) were TCs.…”

“…From March 2020 to the end of 2021, nephrologists and transplantologists from the entire Lodz Voivodeship conducted 31,694 visits, of which 36.5% (n = 11 578) were TCs [20].…”

“…This threat rapidly led to the introduction of TCs in specialist healthcare settings, including nephrology and posttransplant outpatient clinics. In Poland, TCs were mainly conducted via phone [20]. In Lodz Voivodeship, which is inhabited by 2.45 million people, there are 15,761 patients who remain under the care of nephrologists [21].…”

Use of the Internet for Health Purposes—A National Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey among Adults in Poland

“…Moreover, eHealth interventions are used to promote a healthy lifestyle in the general population or pro-healthy attitudes among patients with chronic diseases [ 15 , 16 ]. However, the use of eHealth services depends on an individual’s eHealth literacy levels [ 17 ]. eHealth literacy is defined as a set of skills, competencies, and attitudes related to accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health-related information available from electronic sources [ 17 ].…”

“…However, the use of eHealth services depends on an individual’s eHealth literacy levels [ 17 ]. eHealth literacy is defined as a set of skills, competencies, and attitudes related to accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health-related information available from electronic sources [ 17 ].…”