Ways the pandemic weakened patient communications

The COVID-19 pandemic magnified existing weaknesses in patient communication and scheduling, according to a study.

At the beginning of the pandemic, a combination of lockdowns and fear set off massive cancellations of in-person medical services and the postponement of elective surgeries. Roughly half (51%) of patients in the survey report being contacted “fairly quickly” about rescheduling their cancelled appointments. However, for more than one-quarter (27%), it “took a while” for their health care providers to contact them to reschedule. Another 8% of respondents were still waiting to hear from their providers months after their existing appointments were cancelled.

Here are other key findings in the report: