Abstract
Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a great transition in the modalities of health care services, such as the telemedicine landscape, with some speed. Because of the lack of vaccines or effective therapies, social distancing and quarantine were the only widely accessible precautions, creating a compelling reason for alternatives for in-person care. Many countries applied teleconsultation or provided online applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not currently known whether this available service has satisfied the patients' needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aim
To detect the preferred modality of health services by the Saudi population during COVID-19 and to assess the satisfaction with respect to the provided health services in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia.
Methodology
A descriptive cross-sectional approach was used targeting all accessible populations in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from participants using an electronic pre-structured questionnaire. The tool covered participants' socio-demographic data, participants’ medical and family history, COVID-19 infection, health problems during the pandemic, received services, modalities of available services, and their satisfaction regarding the provided health service.
Results
A total of 2102 participants completed the study questionnaire. Exactly 773 (36.8%) respondents had a health problem during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most-reported modality of health services used was calling the 937 number, which is call center of the Ministry of Health (34.7%), followed by using health applications to get an appointment (33.9%). Also, 447 (88.7%) participants reported that the provided medical services were helpful. Regarding their satisfaction, 156 (31%) were just satisfied with the provided services and 280 (55.6%) were highly satisfied.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the current study showed a high level of public satisfaction regarding different modalities of health services provided during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. This satisfaction was moderately high among telehealth users and those who had hospital visits for health care.