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Responding to COVID-19: The Suitability of Primary Care Infrastructure in 33 Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Adam Windak

    (Department of Family Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-061 Krakow, Poland)

  • Katarzyna Nessler

    (Department of Family Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-061 Krakow, Poland)

  • Esther Van Poel

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Claire Collins

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    Research Centre, Irish College of General Practitioners, D02 XR68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Ewa Wójtowicz

    (Department of Family Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-061 Krakow, Poland)

  • Liubove Murauskiene

    (Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania)

  • Kathryn Hoffmann

    (Unit Health Services Research and Telemedicine in Primary Care, Department of Preventive- and Social Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Wien, Austria)

  • Sara Willems

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

COVID-19 proved that primary care (PC) providers have an important role in managing health emergencies, such as epidemics. Little is known about the preparedness of primary care practice infrastructure to continue providing high quality care during this crisis. The aim of this paper is to describe the perceived limitations to the infrastructure of PC practices during COVID-19 and to determine the factors associated with a higher likelihood of infrastructural barriers in providing high quality care. This paper presents the results of an online survey conducted between November 2020 and November 2021 as a part of PRICOV-19 study. Data from 4974 practices in 33 countries regarding perceived limitations and intentions to make future adjustments to practice infrastructure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic were collected. Approximately 58% of practices experienced limitations to the building or other practice infrastructure to provide high-quality and safe care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 54% making adjustments to the building or the infrastructure was considered. Large variations between the countries were found. The results show that infrastructure constraints were directly proportional to the size of the practice. Better pandemic infection control equipment, governmental support, and a fee-for-service payment system were found to be associated with a lower perceived need for infrastructural changes. The results of the study indicate the need for systematic support for the development of practice infrastructure in order to provide high-quality, safe primary care in the event of future crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Adam Windak & Katarzyna Nessler & Esther Van Poel & Claire Collins & Ewa Wójtowicz & Liubove Murauskiene & Kathryn Hoffmann & Sara Willems, 2022. "Responding to COVID-19: The Suitability of Primary Care Infrastructure in 33 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:17015-:d:1007253
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Prakrati Yadav & Chirag Vohra & Maya Gopalakrishnan & Mahendra Kumar Garg, 2022. "Integrating health planning and primary care infrastructure for COVID‐19 and tuberculosis care in India: Challenges and opportunities," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 632-642, March.
    2. Bianca Silva & Zlata Ožvačić Adžić & Pierre Vanden Bussche & Esther Van Poel & Bohumil Seifert & Cindy Heaster & Claire Collins & Canan Tuz Yilmaz & Felicity Knights & Maria de la Cruz Gomez Pellin & , 2022. "Safety Culture and the Positive Association of Being a Primary Care Training Practice during COVID-19: The Results of the Multi-Country European PRICOV-19 Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gazmend Bojaj & Bernard Tahirbegolli & Petrit Beqiri & Iliriana Alloqi Tahirbegolli & Esther Van Poel & Sara Willems & Nderim Rizanaj & Ilir Hoxha, 2023. "Health Service Management and Patient Safety in Primary Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kosovo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.

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