Patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives on the primary care consultations for acute respiratory infections during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: an eight-country qualitative study in Europe
Marta Wanat,
Melanie Eugenie Hoste,
Nina Helene Gobat,
Marilena Anastasaki,
Femke Böhmer,
Slawomir Chlabicz,
Annelies Colliers,
Karen Farrell,
Sophie Hollerbach,
Maria-Nefeli Karkana,
John Kinsman,
Christos Lionis,
Ludmila Marcinowicz,
Katrin Reinhardt,
Ingmarie Skoglund,
Pär-Daniel Sundvall,
Akke Vellinga,
Herman Goossens,
Christopher C Butler,
Alike van der Velden,
Sibyl Anthierens,
Sarah Tonkin-Crine
Affiliations
Marta Wanat
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Melanie Eugenie Hoste
Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Nina Helene Gobat
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Marilena Anastasaki
Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
Femke Böhmer
Institute of General Practice, Rostock University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany
Slawomir Chlabicz
Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
Annelies Colliers
Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Karen Farrell
School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Sophie Hollerbach
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Maria-Nefeli Karkana
Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
John Kinsman
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden
Christos Lionis
Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
Ludmila Marcinowicz
Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Maternity Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
Katrin Reinhardt
Institute of General Practice, Rostock University Medical Centre, Rostock, Germany
Ingmarie Skoglund
General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Sweden
Pär-Daniel Sundvall
General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Sweden
Akke Vellinga
School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Herman Goossens
Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Christopher C Butler
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Alike van der Velden
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Sibyl Anthierens
Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Sarah Tonkin-Crine
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients’ and clinicians’ perceptions of healthcare-seeking behaviour and delivery of care is unclear. The pandemic accelerated the use of remote care, and understanding its benefits and drawbacks may inform its implementation during current and future healthcare emergencies. Aim: To explore patients’ and primary care professionals’ (PCPs) experiences of primary care delivery in the first wave of the pandemic. Design & setting: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews in primary care in eight European countries (England, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Poland, Sweden, and Germany). Method: A total of 146 interviews were conducted with 80 PCPs and 66 patients consulting for respiratory tract infection (RTI) symptoms, in eight European countries. Data were collected between April and July 2020, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: It was found that patients accepted telemedicine when PCPs spent time to understand and address their concerns, but a minority preferred in-person consultations. PCPs felt that remote consultations created emotional distance between themselves and patients, and they reported having to manage diverse COVID-19-related medical and social concerns. Conclusion: Remote consultations for RTI symptoms may be acceptable long term if both groups are happy to use this format, but it is important that PCPs take time to address patients’ concerns and provide safety-netting advice.
