Innovation Axis, Research Center of The Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, (CHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Center of Excellence on Patient Partnership and The Public, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
PLoS One. 2022 May 4;17(5):e0266328. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266328. eCollection 2022.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions were imposed on visits in hospitals in the province of Quebec, Canada in an effort to reduce the risk of viral exposure by minimizing face-to-face contact in order to protect patients, visitors and staff. These measures led to social isolation for patients. In order to reduce this isolation, CHUM (the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, a teaching hospital) shifted from in-person visits to courtesy telephone calls delivered by volunteers from CHUM's Volunteers, Recreation and Leisure Department.
To study: (1) the contribution made by these calls to reducing isolation and their limitations, (2) how the calls can be improved, and (3) whether they should be maintained, based on the views of patients and volunteers.
This study examined two populations. The first one consisted of 189 adult patients hospitalized at CHUM who received a courtesy phone call from a volunteer and the second one consisted of the 25 CHUM volunteers who made these calls. Quantitative data were collected from patients and volunteers through questionnaires and a Smartsheet. The patient questionnaire evaluated isolation, the courtesy phone calls, the relationship of trust with the volunteer and sociodemographic questions. The volunteer questionnaire evaluated the appropriateness of the technology for the intervention, the support and training received, the impacts of the courtesy phone call on both the patients and the volunteers, an experience report and sociodemographic information. In addition, a focus group was held with 7 volunteers. Then the verbatim were transcribed and analyzed using QDA miner software.
From April 27, 2020 to September 5, 2020 more than 11,800 calls were made, mainly concerning hospitalization conditions or home follow-ups (n = 83), and relationships with relatives, friends, and family (n = 79). For 73.6% of hospitalized patients, the courtesy calls from volunteers were a good response to their needs, and 72% of volunteers agreed. 64.5% of patients felt less isolated and 40% of volunteers felt useful.
Our data suggest that patients felt less isolated during their hospitalization because of the courtesy calls made by the volunteers, that smartphones could also be used for video calls and, finally, that maintaining this type of service seems as relevant after as during a pandemic to provide social interactions to people isolated for medical reasons.
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，加拿大魁北克省的医院对探视进行了限制，以通过尽量减少面对面接触来降低病毒暴露的风险，从而保护患者、访客和员工。这些措施导致患者出现社会隔离。为了减少这种隔离，蒙特利尔大学医疗中心（CHUM，一所教学医院）将探访方式从面对面改为由 CHUM 志愿者服务部的志愿者提供礼貌电话。
研究：（1）这些电话在减少隔离方面的作用及其局限性；（2）如何改进这些电话；（3）基于患者和志愿者的观点，这些电话是否应该保留。
这项研究调查了两个群体。第一个群体由在 CHUM 住院的 189 名成年患者组成，他们接到了志愿者的礼貌电话；第二个群体由 25 名拨打这些电话的 CHUM 志愿者组成。通过问卷和 Smartsheet 从患者和志愿者那里收集了定量数据。患者问卷评估了隔离、礼貌电话、与志愿者的信任关系和社会人口学问题。志愿者问卷评估了该干预措施的技术适宜性、所获得的支持和培训、礼貌电话对患者和志愿者的影响、体验报告和社会人口学信息。此外，还与 7 名志愿者举行了焦点小组会议。然后，使用 QDA Miner 软件对逐字记录进行转录和分析。
从 2020 年 4 月 27 日至 2020 年 9 月 5 日，共拨打了 11800 多个电话，主要涉及住院条件或家庭随访（n = 83），以及与亲属、朋友和家人的关系（n = 79）。对于 73.6%的住院患者来说，志愿者的礼貌电话是对他们需求的良好回应，而 72%的志愿者表示同意。64.5%的患者感到不那么孤立，40%的志愿者感到有用。
我们的数据表明，由于志愿者的礼貌电话，患者在住院期间感到不那么孤立，智能手机也可用于视频通话，最后，在大流行后和大流行期间，维持这种服务似乎同样有助于为因医疗原因而孤立的人提供社交互动。
