LAUSR

Abstract Research question How do infertility patients, endometriosis patients and health care providers rate virtual care as an alternative to physical consultations during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands and how does this influence quality of life and quality of care? Design Infertility patients and endometriosis patients from a university hospital and members of the national patient organizations, as well as health care providers in infertility and endometriosis care were asked to participate between May and October 2020. The distributed online questionnaires consisted of an appraisal of virtual care and an assessment of fertility related quality of life (FertiQol) and patient-centeredness of endometriosis care (ENDOCARE). Results The questionnaires were returned by 374 infertility patients, 181 endometriosis patients and 101 health care providers. 75.9% of infertility patients, 64.8% of endometriosis patients and 80% of the health care providers rated telephone consultations as good alternative for physical consultations during the COVID-19-pandemic. Only 21.3%, 14.8% and 19.2% of the three groups rated telephone consultations as good replacement of physical consultations in the future. 76.6% and 35.9% of the infertility and endometriosis patients reported increased levels of stress during the pandemic. Infertility patients scored lower on the FertiQol, while the ENDOCARE results care seem comparable to reference. Conclusions Virtual care seems to be a good alternative for fertility and endometriosis patients in circumstances where physical consultations are not possible. Self-reported stress is especially high in infertility patients during the COVID-19-pandemic. Health care providers could inform their patients in order to increase patients’ ability to cope.