The Patient's Perspective: Burn Reconstructive Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, hospital systems delayed or halted elective surgeries and outpatient care, profoundly disrupting reconstructive burn treatment ranging from surgery to postoperative therapy. This study aims to characterize burn patients' perspectives on reconstructive surgery during COVID-19. A 12-component questionnaire to burn patients awaiting reconstructive surgery at a single ABA-verified Burn Center was administered. Responses regarding willingness to undergo reconstruction, perceived medical and personal impacts of COVID-19, and perspectives on telehealth were gathered. Surveys were administered to patients/caregivers over the phone in English and Spanish. Inclusion criteria consisted of burn patients who had elective reconstructive surgeries delayed or canceled as a result of the pandemic. Fifty-one patients met our inclusion criteria. Of those, 23 patients responded to our survey (45%). Average patient age was 23, 43% were male, and a majority (52%) were pediatric. Twenty-two (96%) patients were willing to undergo reconstruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite a perceived increased risk. Forty-three percentage of patients disagreed or strongly disagreed that telehealth adequately enabled communication with their burn care provider. Seventy-eight percentage of patients agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more susceptible to COVID-19 as burn patients. Eighty-three percentage of patients agreed or strongly agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic had created stressors specifically related to their burn care. The majority of patients expressed a strong desire to return to surgical and therapeutic care delayed by COVID-19. Patients reported feeling especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic as burn patients and cited difficulty obtaining care and financial stressors as the main causes.

114 The Patient's Perspective: Burn Reconstructive Surgery During the Pandemic

Introduction The novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created profound challenges in healthcare delivery. Hospital systems have delayed or shut down elective surgeries and outpatient care. These measures resulted in profound disruptions to burn treatment regarding reconstructive care from surgery to therapy. This study aims to characterize burn patients' perspectives on elective reconstructive surgery during COVID-19. Methods As part of a quality improvement initiative, a 12-component questionnaire to burn patients awaiting reconstructive surgery at a single ABA verified Burn Center during COVID-19 was conducted. Responses regarding willingness to undergo reconstruction during COVID-19, perceived medical and personal impacts of COVID-19, and perspectives on telehealth were gathered. Surveys were administered over the phone in English and Spanish to burn patients or to primary caregivers in the case of pediatric patients. Results We surveyed 23 participants who met our inclusion criteria. Average age was 23 and 43% were male. We found 22 (96%) patients were willing to undergo reconstruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Table 1 outlines the responses to questions regarding telehealth and being a burn patient during COVID-19. Examples of stressors experienced by patients and their families due to COVID-19 included: inability to communicate with healthcare providers in person, increased anxiety in public places, delayed surgical care, and interruption of physical or occupational therapy. Family members in 5 out of the 8 Spanish speaking households lost their job due to COVID-19, resulting in financial stress for the burn patient. Conclusions The majority of patients expressed strong desires to return to surgical and therapy care delayed by COVID-19. Patients reported feeling especially vulnerable as burn patients and cited receiving healthcare and financial stressors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as the main causes.