Assessing Patient Reported Quality of Care and Safety in Mohs Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 has greatly impacted patients’ ability to receive medical care. Early on during the pandemic, skin cancer diagnosis and treatment were often delayed due to fear of viral spread. In certain locales, executive orders have prevented physicians from performing procedures that were not immediately lifesaving. This study aims to assess patient-reported quality of care and sense of safety while receiving Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) during the pandemic. The intent of this study is to identify patient-specific factors that influence concerns and feelings of safety, and thus guide future safety measures. A telephone survey was administered to assess patient concerns about treatment delay, feelings of safety, and satisfaction. A retrospective chart review was performed to collect demographics, comorbidities, tumor characteristics, etc. A total of 144 patients (102 male, 42 female; average 71.9 years old) completed the study. Overall, patients felt safe and satisfied, with 75.7% reporting 10/10 safety (average 9.5/10) and 84% reporting 10/10 satisfaction (average 9.7/10). Patients had more notable levels of concern regarding pandemic-related treatment delays (median 2/10), compared to the risk of contracting COVID during their visit (median 1/10). Concerns regarding treatment delay included an increase in cancer size, spread, pain, and scarring. This study demonstrates that high levels of patient feelings of safety and satisfaction can be obtained with MMS during the pandemic. As the pandemic continues, it is imperative that patients can receive high quality and timely care without compromising safety. Outpatient dermatologic surgery can continue without jeopardizing patients' overall feeling of safety and satisfaction.