Effects of Outpatient Care Changes During the <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 Pandemic on the Quality of Physician Care in Japan: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Changes in outpatient care during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly extended intervals between return visits and conduct of outpatient telephone consultations, were significantly associated with a decline in physician-perceived care quality. These disruptions impair physicians' ability to assess patients comprehensively and underscore the need to maintain continuity of care and holistic evaluation practices, especially for older adults, during public health emergencies.