Reorganisation of GP surgeries during the COVID-19 outbreak : analysis of guidelines from 15 countries
(2021) In BMC Family Practice 22(1).- Abstract
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... (More)
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.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Clinical Practice Guidelines, COVID-19, General Practitioner, Pandemic, Primary care
- in
- BMC Family Practice
- volume
- 22
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 96
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85106172517
- pmid:34000985
- ISSN
- 1471-2296
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12875-021-01413-z
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 544c21d3-9b88-41cb-a88f-8703b11f9d99
- date added to LUP
- 2022-03-08 11:58:07
- date last changed
- 2024-06-23 09:07:59
@article{544c21d3-9b88-41cb-a88f-8703b11f9d99,
abstract = {{<p>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.</p>}},
author = {{Tsopra, Rosy and Frappe, Paul and Streit, Sven and Neves, Ana Luisa and Honkoop, Persijn J. and Espinosa-Gonzalez, Ana Belen and Geroğlu, Berk and Jahr, Tobias and Lingner, Heidrun and Nessler, Katarzyna and Pesolillo, Gabriella and Sivertsen, Øyvind Stople and Thulesius, Hans and Zoitanu, Raluca and Burgun, Anita and Kinouani, Shérazade}},
issn = {{1471-2296}},
keywords = {{Clinical Practice Guidelines; COVID-19; General Practitioner; Pandemic; Primary care}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{BMC Family Practice}},
title = {{Reorganisation of GP surgeries during the COVID-19 outbreak : analysis of guidelines from 15 countries}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12875-021-01413-z}},
doi = {{10.1186/s12875-021-01413-z}},
volume = {{22}},
year = {{2021}},
}