Experiences and management strategies of Norwegian GPs during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal interview study

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Norway, primary health care had to reorganize to ensure safe patient treatment and maintain infection control. General practitioners (GPs) are key health care providers in the municipalities. Our aim was to explore the experiences and management strategies of Norwe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of primary health care 2023-03, Vol.41 (1), p.2-12
Main Authors: Heltveit-Olsen, Silje Rebekka, Lunde, Lene, Brænd, Anja Maria, Spehar, Ivan, Høye, Sigurd, Skoglund, Ingmarie, Sundvall, Pär-Daniel, Fossum, Guro Haugen, Straand, Jørund, Risør, Mette Bech
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allmän medicin
Attitude of Health Personnel
Collaboration
Continuity of care
COVID-19
COVID-19 - epidemiology
Disease control
Family Medicine
Family physicians
General & Internal Medicine
General practice
General Practitioners
Health care
Health Care Sciences & Services
Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy
Humans
Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi
Infections
Infectious Medicine
Infektionsmedicin
Interviews
Medical personnel
Municipalities
Norway
organization and management strategies
Organizational change
Pandemics
practice management
Primary care
Qualitative Research
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Summary:When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Norway, primary health care had to reorganize to ensure safe patient treatment and maintain infection control. General practitioners (GPs) are key health care providers in the municipalities. Our aim was to explore the experiences and management strategies of Norwegian GPs during the COVID-19 pandemic - over time, and in the context of a sudden organizational change. Longitudinal qualitative interview study with two interview rounds. The first round of interviews was conducted from September-December 2020, the second round from January-April 2021. In the first interview round, we performed eight semi-structured interviews with GPs from eight municipalities in Norway. In the second round, five of the GPs were re-interviewed. Consecutive interviews were performed 2-4 months apart. To analyze the data, we used thematic analysis. The COVID-19 pandemic required GPs to balance several concerns, such as continuity of care and their own professional efforts. Several GPs experienced challenges in the collaboration with the municipality and in relation to defining their own professional position. Guided by The Norwegian Association of General practitioners, The Norwegian College of General Practice and collegial support, they found viable solutions and ended up with a feeling of having adapted to a new normal. Although our study demonstrates that the GPs adapted to the changing conditions, the current municipal health care models are not ideal. There is a need for clarification of responsibilities between GPs and the municipality to facilitate a more coordinated future pandemic response. Key Points Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary health care service in Norway had to reorganize to ensure safe patient treatment and maintain infection control. Several GPs experienced challenges in collaboration with the municipalities. There is a need for clarification of responsibilities between GPs and the municipality.
ISSN:0281-3432
1502-7724
1502-7724
DOI:10.1080/02813432.2022.2142796