Kovacik Eicher, Mary Elizabeth
(2021)
A worldwide pandemic’s implications for community hospitals and the effect on the patient experience: an ever-evolving challenge to the infrastructure
partially addressed by telemedicine.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to the health care system, particularly affecting rural community hospitals. Community hospitals have faced unprecedented challenges including but not limited to: resource limitations, supply chain delays, revenue depletion, and, most importantly, confrontation of a pandemic. Systems have been faced with the challenge of addressing infrastructure change to ensure management of COVID-19 spread and to guarantee consistent delivery of quality care.
Objective: The aim of this systematic literature review is to identify the challenges faced by rural hospital systems, particularly in but not limited to the United States, as well as to discuss infrastructure change, specifically development and dependence on telehealth to assist in patient care.
Methods: Initially, a systematic literature search was conducted, and 25 articles were reviewed. Selection criteria including recent publication in 2016-2021, and keywords of ‘rural hospitals and COVID-19,’ ‘telemedicine, community hospitals and COVID-19,’ and ‘telemedicine and patient satisfaction COVID’ were utilized.
Results: Rural hospitals were challenged almost immediately, with too few staff, too few ICU beds, and too many positive cases. Telemedicine helped as a supplement to their income when elective surgeries and clinics had to be canceled to reduce transmission. Patient satisfaction grew in this new world of technology. Individual experience scores and local hospital experience permitted elaboration upon necessitated infrastructure change to ensure sustainable patient satisfaction.
Conclusion: COVID-19 has changed daily routines. COVID-19 has changed how people experience the world and interact with one another. COVID-19 has left an everlasting impression on health care systems with the development of telehealth, as an example. It has provided an opportunity for rural health systems to set themselves apart with a renewed dedication to patient experience. Patients. First.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Thesis advisor | Martinson, Jeremy | jmartins@pitt.edu | jmartins | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Felter, Elizabeth | emfelter@pitt.edu | emfelter | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
17 December 2021 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
17 December 2021 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
48 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Infectious Diseases and Microbiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
COVID-19; hospitals; healthcare; telemedicine; patient experience |
| Date Deposited: |
05 Jan 2022 20:48 |
| Last Modified: |
05 Jan 2024 06:15 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/42125 |
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