A Client Perspective on Virtual Appointments With Their Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract

Background: A systematic review was conducted using Covidence to examine the current literature on the transition to virtual care from a primary health care perspective during the pandemic. A total of 23 studies were extracted and further organized into a literature review table (Appendix A). 

Methods: A cross-sectional study was then conducted using a multimodal survey design with a total of six questions to assess clients’ perspectives of virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were recruited via telephone call from a generated list of clients who were marked as having had a virtual appointment through the NBNPLC during the pandemic. The interviews were conducted in October 2021.

Results: Overall, majority of participants were satisfied with their virtual appointment and would like an option in the future between virtual and in-person appointments.

Interpretation: Primary health care (PHC) within Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a transition from in-person visits to virtual appointments. Based on this quantitative and qualitative data, there is potential for sustainability with virtual care in the PHC setting however future client-centered research is needed to analyze client barriers to virtual care from an equitable standpoint, to understand if video calls rather than phone calls would be preferred as an alternative to face-to-face appointments, and to identify criteria to determine when virtual appointments rather than face-to-face appointments are warranted.

Keywords/Concepts: Virtual appointments, Primary Health Care (PHC), COVID-19, Client perspective, Nurse Practitioner