INFLUENCE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD OF ALERT ON PERCEIVED QUALITY OF HOSPITAL EMERGENCIES

Ferrer, Julio Jose Lopez-Picazo; Gutiérrez, Inmaculada Vidal-Abarca; Fernández, Dolores Beteta; Ibáñez, Mercedes López

Objective: To assess changes in perceived quality (PQ) in patients who required A&E hospital care before (BA) and during (DA) the COVID-19 period of alert.. Methods: Retrospective descriptive observational study using the "Net Promoter Score" (NPS), which classifies patients as promoters or detractors. Three PQ dimensions (accessibility, professionals, and information) were measured in 160 patients discharged home BA, and in a further 160 in the first 2 months DA. A standard of ≥90% promoters and ≤10% detractors was verified by lot acceptance (LQAS) in different access routes and times. Factors related to the probability that a patient was a promoter, or a detractor were analysed using logistic regression. Results: The mean score was lower in accessibility than in the other dimensions (8.6 vs. 9.1 and 9.0; p <.0001). DA, accessibility obtained better results (NPS 70 vs. 32, p <.001). Per access route, Paediatrics and Ophthalmology improved and Maternity did not experience changes. LQAS showed more lots accepted DA (85% vs. 72%). The likelihood for a patient to be a promoter was higher DA (OR 1.85, p <.0001), especially in accessibility (OR 3.08, p <0.0001). The likelihood to be a detractor was reduced (OR .54, p <.05), and also greater in accessibility (OR .39, p <.05). Conclusions: PQ improved during the period of alert, its declaration being the most influential factor. This improvement is evident in paediatric and ophthalmological patients, but imperceptible in Maternity or Traumatology, perhaps because the pandemic acted as an adequacy corrector.