TY  - JOUR
A1  - Siebenhofer, Andrea
A1  - Huter, Sebastian
A1  - Avian, Alexander
A1  - Mergenthal, Karola
A1  - Schaffler-Schaden, Dagmar
A1  - Spary-Kainz, Ulrike
A1  - Bachler, Herbert
A1  - Flamm, Maria
T1  - COVI-Prim survey: Challenges for Austrian and German general practitioners during initial phase of COVID-19
T2  - PLOS ONE
N2  - Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a significant challenge to health care systems around the world. A well-functioning primary care system is crucial in epidemic situations as it plays an important role in the development of a system-wide response.
Methods: 2,187 Austrian and German GPs answered an internet survey on preparedness, testing, staff protection, perception of risk, self-confidence, a decrease in the number of patient contacts, and efforts to control the spread of the virus in the practice during the early phase of the COVID-pandemic (3rd to 30th April).
Results: The completion rate of the questionnaire was high (90.9%). GPs gave low ratings to their preparedness for a pandemic, testing of suspected cases and efforts to protect staff. The provision of information to GPs and the perception of risk were rated as moderate. On the other hand, the participants rated their self-confidence, a decrease in patient contacts and their efforts to control the spread of the disease highly.
Conclusion: Primary care is an important resource for dealing with a pandemic like COVID-19. The workforce is confident and willing to take an active role, but needs to be provided with the appropriate surrounding conditions. This will require that certain conditions are met.
Registration: Trial registration at the German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00021231.
Y1  - 2021
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/73573
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-735731
SN  - 1932-6203
VL  - 16
IS  - e0251736
PB  - PLOS
CY  - San Francisco, California, US
ER  -