Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study
Objectives: During the COVID pandemic, data collected in family medicine were scarce. The COVID-FM project aimed to monitor trends of COVID-related activity in family medicine practices of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, during the year 2021.Methods: Practitioners were invited to join an ad hoc sen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605361/full |
| _version_ | 1797952150822715392 |
|---|---|
| author | Muriel Maeder Diane Auderset Bernard Borel Eric Masserey Joëlle Schwarz Yolanda Mueller |
| author_facet | Muriel Maeder Diane Auderset Bernard Borel Eric Masserey Joëlle Schwarz Yolanda Mueller |
| author_sort | Muriel Maeder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: During the COVID pandemic, data collected in family medicine were scarce. The COVID-FM project aimed to monitor trends of COVID-related activity in family medicine practices of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, during the year 2021.Methods: Practitioners were invited to join an ad hoc sentinel surveillance system. Online data collection was based on daily activity reports and monthly questionnaires. Participants categorized daily counts of consultations and phone calls into predefined categories. Data were reported and discussed on a weekly basis with public health authorities.Results: On the target of 50 physicians, 37 general physicians from 32 practices finally constituted the COVID-FM sentinel network, contributing to 901 practice-weeks of surveillance in family medicine and 604 in paediatrics. In paediatrics, COVID-related activity corresponded mostly to COVID-19 diagnostic consultations (2911/25990 face-to-face consultations = 11.2%) while in family medicine, other COVID-related topics—such as questions on vaccination—predominated (4143/42221 = 9.8%).Conclusion: COVID-related consultations constituted an important part of primary care practices’ activity in 2021. Monitoring COVID-related activity in primary care provided health authorities with valuable information to guide public health action. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:41:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c5216a231e34d319280392459fa7690 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-8564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:41:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c5216a231e34d319280392459fa76902023-01-16T04:11:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.International Journal of Public Health1661-85642023-01-016710.3389/ijph.2022.16053611605361Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational StudyMuriel Maeder0Diane Auderset1Bernard Borel2Eric Masserey3Joëlle Schwarz4Yolanda Mueller5Department of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandPublic Health Service, Lausanne, SwitzerlandPublic Health Service, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Family Medicine, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandObjectives: During the COVID pandemic, data collected in family medicine were scarce. The COVID-FM project aimed to monitor trends of COVID-related activity in family medicine practices of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, during the year 2021.Methods: Practitioners were invited to join an ad hoc sentinel surveillance system. Online data collection was based on daily activity reports and monthly questionnaires. Participants categorized daily counts of consultations and phone calls into predefined categories. Data were reported and discussed on a weekly basis with public health authorities.Results: On the target of 50 physicians, 37 general physicians from 32 practices finally constituted the COVID-FM sentinel network, contributing to 901 practice-weeks of surveillance in family medicine and 604 in paediatrics. In paediatrics, COVID-related activity corresponded mostly to COVID-19 diagnostic consultations (2911/25990 face-to-face consultations = 11.2%) while in family medicine, other COVID-related topics—such as questions on vaccination—predominated (4143/42221 = 9.8%).Conclusion: COVID-related consultations constituted an important part of primary care practices’ activity in 2021. Monitoring COVID-related activity in primary care provided health authorities with valuable information to guide public health action.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605361/fullpublic healthsurveillanceCOVID-19primary caremonitoringfamily medicine |
| spellingShingle | Muriel Maeder Diane Auderset Bernard Borel Eric Masserey Joëlle Schwarz Yolanda Mueller Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study International Journal of Public Health public health surveillance COVID-19 primary care monitoring family medicine |
| title | Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study |
| title_full | Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study |
| title_fullStr | Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study |
| title_short | Trends in COVID-Related Activity in Sentinel Family Medicine Practices: An Observational Study |
| title_sort | trends in covid related activity in sentinel family medicine practices an observational study |
| topic | public health surveillance COVID-19 primary care monitoring family medicine |
| url | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605361/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT murielmaeder trendsincovidrelatedactivityinsentinelfamilymedicinepracticesanobservationalstudy AT dianeauderset trendsincovidrelatedactivityinsentinelfamilymedicinepracticesanobservationalstudy AT bernardborel trendsincovidrelatedactivityinsentinelfamilymedicinepracticesanobservationalstudy AT ericmasserey trendsincovidrelatedactivityinsentinelfamilymedicinepracticesanobservationalstudy AT joelleschwarz trendsincovidrelatedactivityinsentinelfamilymedicinepracticesanobservationalstudy AT yolandamueller trendsincovidrelatedactivityinsentinelfamilymedicinepracticesanobservationalstudy |