Perspectives of primary care leaders on the challenges and opportunities of leading through the COVID-19 pandemic

Edwards, Samuel T.; Gordon, Leah N.; Guzmán, Cirila Estela Vásquez; Tuepker, Anaïs; Park, Brian

doi:10.1370/afm.20.s1.2891

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Addressing power imbalance is important to facilitate both optimum patient care and increased collaboration. Awareness of how hierarchal organisational structures impact team contribution, collaboration and acknowledgement of members' roles is important for supporting team cohesion (Edwards et al 2022). Lack of identified formal training of GP leaders in crisis management, communication and, importantly, leadership skills, highlights a pitfall in preparedness of the local system for further health crises.…”

Section: Implications For Future Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Leading primary care under the weight of COVID-19: how leadership was enacted in six australian general practices during 2020

Wisbey,

Lane,

Neil

et al. 2024

Aust. J. Prim. Health

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic challenged health care delivery globally, providing unique challenges to primary care. Australia’s primary healthcare system (primarily general practices) was integral to the response. COVID-19 tested the ability of primary health care to respond to the greater urgency and magnitude than previous pandemics. Early reflections highlighted the critical role of leaders in helping organisations negotiate the pandemic’s consequences. This study explores how general practice leadership was enacted during 2020, highlighting how leadership attributes were implemented to support practice teams. Methodology We performed secondary analysis on data from a participatory prospective qualitative case study involving six general practices in Melbourne, Victoria, between April 2020 and February 2021. The initial coding template based on Miller et al.’s relationship-centred model informed a reflexive thematic approach to data re-analysis, focused on leadership. Our interpretation was informed by Crabtree et al.’s leadership model. Results All practices realigned clinical and organisational routines in the early months of the pandemic – hierarchical leadership styles often allowing rapid early responses. Yet power imbalances and exclusive communication channels at times left practice members feeling isolated. Positive team morale and interdisciplinary teamwork influenced practices’ ability to foster emergent leaders. However, emergence of leaders generally represented an inherent ‘need’ for authoritative figures in the crisis, rather than deliberate fostering of leadership. Conclusion This study demonstrates the importance of collaborative leadership during crises while highlighting areas for better preparedness. Promoting interdisciplinary communication and implementing formal leadership training in crisis management in the general practice setting is crucial for future pandemics.

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Section: Implications For Future Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Leading primary care under the weight of COVID-19: how leadership was enacted in six australian general practices during 2020

Wisbey,

Lane,

Neil

et al. 2024

Aust. J. Prim. Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A leadership lens offers a broader picture of the issues that primary care teams are facing and takes into consideration the multiple influences on primary care practice, including health care policies, funding, patients, and providers. A recent abstract was published on the findings of a qualitative study examining the perspective of 15 primary care leaders in the United States on the challenges and opportunities of leading during the COVID-19 pandemic [11]. The key themes identified the importance of primary care leaders in supporting their teams manage continually changing environments and the importance of being present and supporting providers [11].…”

Section: Open Accessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent abstract was published on the findings of a qualitative study examining the perspective of 15 primary care leaders in the United States on the challenges and opportunities of leading during the COVID-19 pandemic [11]. The key themes identified the importance of primary care leaders in supporting their teams manage continually changing environments and the importance of being present and supporting providers [11]. No details of the study were provided, and it is unclear if any of the leaders included in the study worked in an interprofessional primary care model.…”

Section: Open Accessmentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of primary care teams during the early phase of COVID-19: A qualitative study of primary care practice leaders in Ontario, Canada

et al. 2022

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rapid shift to virtual care in primary care practices around the globe. There has been little focus on the experiences of interprofessional teams through the lens of primary care practice leaders. The objective of this study was to examine the experience of primary care teams during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of primary care leadership. Methods Qualitative study using qualitative description methods. Executive Directors of interprofessional primary care teams belonging to the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) were invited to participate. Executive Directors were interviewed and the interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Seventy-one Executive Directors from across all regions of Ontario were interviewed for the study, representing 37% of the AFHTO member clinics. Four themes were identified in the data: i) Complexities of Virtual Care, ii) Continuation of In-person Care, iii) Supporting Patients at Risk, and iv) Stepping up and into New Roles. Conclusions Primary care teams rapidly mobilized to deliver the majority of their care virtually, while continuing to provide in-person and home care as required. Major challenges to virtual care included technological infrastructure and unfamiliarity with virtual platforms. Advantages to virtual care included convenience and time savings. Virtual care will likely continue to be an important mode of primary care delivery moving forward.

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Perspectives of primary care leaders on the challenges and opportunities of leading through the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract: Perspectives of primary care leaders on the challenges and opportunities of leading through the COVID-19 pandemic Priority 1 (Research Category) COVID-19

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Leading primary care under the weight of COVID-19: how leadership was enacted in six australian general practices during 2020

Leading primary care under the weight of COVID-19: how leadership was enacted in six australian general practices during 2020

The experience of primary care teams during the early phase of COVID-19: A qualitative study of primary care practice leaders in Ontario, Canada

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