Reorganisation of GP surgeries during the COVID-19 outbreak: analysis of guidelines from 15 countries.

Tsopra, Rosy; Frappe, Paul; Streit, Sven; Neves, Ana Luisa; Honkoop, Persijn J; Espinosa-Gonzalez, Ana Belen; Geroğlu, Berk; Jahr, Tobias; Lingner, Heidrun; Nessler, Katarzyna; Pesolillo, Gabriella; Sivertsen, Øyvind Stople; Thulesius, Hans; Zoitanu, Raluca; Burgun, Anita; Kinouani, Shérazade (2021). Reorganisation of GP surgeries during the COVID-19 outbreak: analysis of guidelines from 15 countries. BMC family practice, 22(1), p. 96. BioMed Central 10.1186/s12875-021-01413-z

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BACKGROUND

General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in managing the COVID-19 outbreak. However, they may encounter difficulties adapting their practices to the pandemic. We provide here an analysis of guidelines for the reorganisation of GP surgeries during the beginning of the pandemic from 15 countries.

METHODS

A network of GPs collaborated together in a three-step process: (i) identification of key recommendations of GP surgery reorganisation, according to WHO, CDC and health professional resources from health care facilities; (ii) collection of key recommendations included in the guidelines published in 15 countries; (iii) analysis, comparison and synthesis of the results.

RESULTS

Recommendations for the reorganisation of GP surgeries of four types were identified: (i) reorganisation of GP consultations (cancelation of non-urgent consultations, follow-up via e-consultations), (ii) reorganisation of GP surgeries (area partitioning, visual alerts and signs, strict hygiene measures), (iii) reorganisation of medical examinations by GPs (equipment, hygiene, partial clinical examinations, patient education), (iv) reorganisation of GP staff (equipment, management, meetings, collaboration with the local community).

CONCLUSIONS

We provide here an analysis of guidelines for the reorganisation of GP surgeries during the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak from 15 countries. These guidelines focus principally on clinical care, with less attention paid to staff management, and the area of epidemiological surveillance and research is largely neglected. The differences of guidelines between countries and the difficulty to apply them in routine care, highlight the need of advanced research in primary care. Thereby, primary care would be able to provide recommendations adapted to the real-world settings and with stronger evidence, which is especially necessary during pandemics.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Medical Education > Institute of General Practice and Primary Care (BIHAM)

UniBE Contributor:

Streit, Sven

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services

ISSN:

1471-2296

Publisher:

BioMed Central

Language:

English

Submitter:

Andrea Flükiger-Flückiger

Date Deposited:

27 May 2021 20:02

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:51

Publisher DOI:

10.1186/s12875-021-01413-z

PubMed ID:

34000985

Uncontrolled Keywords:

COVID-19 Clinical Practice Guidelines General Practitioner Pandemic Primary care

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/156527

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/156527

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