Extended access to general practice services during weekends in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: The incidence, symptoms, and trajectories of COVID-19 in the community were unknown in the early phase of the pandemic. Consequently, organizing a primary health care response was challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate whether reorganizing general practice services with extended weekend access for patients was feasible, and to assess the extent to which patients used this service. Design: Observational study with registration after a simple intervention. Setting: General practice services in the second half of March 2020 when the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit Bergen, the second largest city in Norway. Subjects: All general practices in Bergen were asked to be available during weekends for their patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs), by telephone, video-, or e-consultation. Main outcome measures: Number of practices participating, patients connected to these practices, and consultations for RTIs and suspected COVID-19. Results: During the first weekend, 33 of 71 practices (45%) covering 51% of the population participated. The following weekend this increased to 39 practices (53%) covering 64% of the population. The first weekend 25 practices reported a total of 336 consultations for RTIs, eight of which were for confirmed and 113 were for suspected COVID-19. The corresponding numbers reported from 23 practices the second weekend were 158 RTI consultations, four for confirmed and 41 for suspected COVID-19. Conclusions: On short notice about half the practices in Bergen were made accessible during weekends for their patients with RTIs. The number of consultations per practice was small, but combined this amounted to a substantial improvement in the emergency services.