Policy and practices in primary care that supported the provision and receipt of care for older persons during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative case study in three Canadian provinces

BMC Primary Care

Research

Meaghan Brierley¹  Sara Mallinson²  Anik Giguere³  Joanie Sims-Gould⁴  Kenneth Rockwood⁵  Jacobi Elliott⁶  Don Juzwishin⁷  Maggie MacNeil⁸  Catherine Tong⁹  Susie Gregg⁹  Paul Stolee⁹  Justine Giosa^1,10 

[1] Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada;Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada;Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada;Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Laval, QC, Canada;Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada;Division of Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada;Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada;St. Joseph’s Health Care London, London, ON, Canada;School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada;School of Health Information Science, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada;School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada;School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada;School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada;SE Research Centre, SE Health, Markham, ON, Canada;

关键词: COVID-19;    Primary care;    Older adults;    Health policy;    Virtual care;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12875-023-02135-0

 received in 2023-01-24, accepted in 2023-08-21,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults were felt throughout the health care system, from intensive care units through to long-term care homes. Although much attention has been paid to hospitals and long-term care homes throughout the pandemic, less attention has been paid to the impact on primary care clinics, which had to rapidly change their approach to deliver timely and effective care to older adult patients. This study examines how primary care clinics, in three Canadian provinces, cared for their older adult patients during the pandemic, while also navigating the rapidly changing health policy landscape.MethodsA qualitative case study approach was used to gather information from nine primary care clinics, across three Canadian provinces. Interviews were conducted with primary care providers (n = 17) and older adult patients (n = 47) from October 2020 to September 2021. Analyses of the interviews were completed in the language of data collection (English or French), and then summarized in English using a coding framework. All responses that related to COVID-19 policies at any level were also examined.ResultsTwo main themes emerged from the data: (1) navigating the noise: understanding and responding to public health orders and policies affecting health and health care, and (2) receiving and delivering care to older persons during the pandemic: policy-driven challenges & responses. Providers discussed their experiences wading through the health policy directives, while trying to provide good quality care. Older adults found the public health information overwhelming, but appreciated the approaches adapted by primary care clinics to continue providing care, even if it looked different.ConclusionsCOVID-19 policy and guideline complexities obliged primary care providers to take an important role in understanding, implementing and adapting to them, and in explaining them, especially to older adults and their care partners.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

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