Primary health care physicians’ perspective on COVID-19 pandemic management in Qatar: a web-based survey

Abstract

ObjectivesTo assess primary care physicians’ satisfaction towards COVID-19 pandemic management in Qatar and to identify the associated factors with their satisfaction.DesignA cross-sectional web-based survey conducted from 1 June to 30 July 2020.SettingAll the 27 public primary healthcare centres in Qatar.Participants294 primary care physicians working in the publicly run primary healthcare corporation in Qatar.Primary outcome measuresOverall satisfaction towards COVID-19 management in Qatar and satisfaction towards each aspect of this management including COVID-19 clinical practice guidelines, psychological support, team dynamics, work safety as well as institutional and governmental regulations.Results294 primary care physicians participated in the survey with a response rate of 65%. Overall satisfaction of physicians towards COVID-19 19 management at Primary Health Care Corporation was 77%. The highest satisfaction was towards institutional and governmental support while it was the lowest towards the corporation case definition and management of COVID-19 guidelines. Female physicians were less satisfied with psychological support in comparison to males (64.1% and 51% respectively, p=0.049). Overall satisfaction towards case definition and management of COVID-19 guidelines were strongly correlated with their clarity, updating these guidelines in due time and applicability of the guidelines (r=0.759 P<0.001; r=0.701 P<0.001; r=0.698 P<0.001) respectively, while satisfaction towards work safety was strongly correlated with availability and quality of Personal Protective Equipment provided (r=0.83 P<0.001 and r=0.811 P<0.001 respectively).ConclusionMost primary care physicians in Qatar who responded to the survey were satisfied with the COVID-19 guidelines developed rapidly in response to this pandemic. Availability and quality of PPE were a particular concern. The clinicians who were less satisfied were younger and female.

Primary healthcare providers challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

“…Providers were reluctant to visit their patients at home as their facilities lacked the means to ensure proper and effective personal protection. At the same time, most PHC providers avoided home visits based on their fear to get infected; hence, they switched to calling the patients instead of home visits [ 11 , 21 , 51 ]. The avoidance of home visits resulted in enhanced application of telemedicine (using telephones and other online platforms for patient care) which according to the literature could potentially result in higher flexibility but at the same time more workload [ 11 – 13 ].…”

“…Studies have documented both the advantages and disadvantages of this shift: while telemedicine allowed for greater flexibility and patient-centered care, it also increased the workload for PHC providers and created uncertainty in their decision-making regarding care prioritization, which in some cases raised ethical questions [ 11 – 13 ]. During the first wave of the pandemic, home visitation units were reduced in many countries in order to minimize the danger of virus transmission, restricting consultations to urgent care only [ 14 – 16 ]. However, home delivery of medications was also widely practiced [ 11 , 17 ].…”

“…According to other studies, PHC providers struggled to integrate to new workflows because of lack of resources and training [ 20 – 22 ]. In some limited resource settings, insufficient PHC facility preparedness and lack of equipment were also documented, causing poor working conditions which resulted in reduced quality of care and increased risk for both patients’ and health workers’ safety [ 14 , 19 , 21 , 23 ].…”

Evolution of the pandemic: Analysis of demographic characteristics of COVID-19-infected patients during its two waves in Gwalior district of central India

“…Primary healthcare will need to continuously reinvent and transform itself as any healthcare system’s ability to manage infectious disease outbreaks will undoubtedly be crippled without an effective primary care sector. [ 9 12 40 ]…”

“…[ 11 ] Despite the rapidly evolving body of literature on COVID-19 disease, the level of primary healthcare physicians’ knowledge about the disease and the available interventions is lacking which has only added up to the panic. [ 12 ] Primary physicians can be an important link in early interception of the disease and educating them is the only way to fight it out.…”