Background The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid implementation of virtual antenatal care to keep pregnant women safe. This transition from face-to-face usual care had to be embraced by patients and professionals alike. Objective We evaluated patients’ and professionals’ experiences with virtual antenatal clinic appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine satisfaction and inquire into the safety and quality of care received. Methods A total of 148 women who attended a virtual antenatal clinic appointment at our UK tertiary obstetric care center over a 2-week period provided feedback (n=92, 62% response rate). A further 37 health care professionals (HCPs) delivering care in the virtual antenatal clinics participated in another questionnaire study (37/45, 82% response rate). Results We showed that women were highly satisfied with the virtual clinics, with 86% (127/148) rating their experience as good or very good, and this was not associated with any statistically significant differences in age ( P =.23), ethnicity ( P =.95), number of previous births ( P =.65), or pregnancy losses ( P =.94). Even though 56% (83/148) preferred face-to-face appointments, 44% (65/148) either expressed no preference or preferred virtual, and these preferences were not associated with significant differences in patient demographics. For HCPs, 67% (18/27) rated their experience of virtual clinics as good or very good, 78% (21/27) described their experience as the same or better than face-to-face clinics, 15% (4/27) preferred virtual clinics, and 44% (12/27) had no preference. Importantly, 67% (18/27) found it easy or very easy to adapt to virtual clinics. Over 90% of HCPs agreed virtual clinics should be implemented long-term. Conclusions Our study demonstrates high satisfaction with telephone antenatal clinics during the pandemic, which supports the transition toward widespread digitalization of antenatal care suited to 21st-century patients and professionals.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, pandemic, feasibility, technology, telehealth, United Kingdom, Antenatal, virtual clinic, effective, virtual health, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19 pandemic, clinics, pregnant women, Pregnancy, Health, implementation, Patient, age, women, antenatal care, preference, Care, questionnaire, Satisfaction, Obstetric, Safe, demographics, Support, significant difference, usual care, statistically significant difference, professionals, professional, over, widespread, objective, hcp, Result, described, evaluated, required, provided, determine, expressed, had no, participated, 【제목키워드】 experience, professional, Tertiary,