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. 2023 Apr 8;33(1):15.
doi: 10.1038/s41533-023-00340-z.

Care by general practitioners for patients with asthma or COPD during the COVID-19 pandemic

Corinne Rijpkema  1   2 , Lotte Ramerman  3 , Maarten Homburg  4 , Eline Meijer  4   5 , Jean Muris  6 , Tim Olde Hartman  7 , Marjolein Berger  4 , Lilian Peters  4   8 , Robert Verheij  3   9
Affiliations

Care by general practitioners for patients with asthma or COPD during the COVID-19 pandemic

Corinne Rijpkema et al. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. .

Abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on general practitioners' (GP) care for patients with asthma and/or COPD is largely unknown. To describe the impact of the pandemic on asthma or COPD-related GP care, we analysed routinely recorded electronic health records data from Dutch general practices and out-of-hours (OOH) services. During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), the contact rates for asthma and/or COPD were significantly lower in GP practices and OOH services compared with the pre-pandemic period (2019) (respectively, 15% lower and 28% lower). The proportion of telephone contacts increased significantly with 13%-point in GP practices and 12%-point at OOH services, while the proportion of face-to-face contacts decreased. Furthermore, the proportion of high urgent contacts with OOH services decreased by 8.5%-point. To conclude, the overall contact rates in GP practices and OOH services decreased, while more contacts were remote. Lower contact rates have, after a short follow-up, not resulted in more patients with exacerbations in OOH care. However, this might still be expected after a longer follow-up.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. The contact rates for asthma or COPD in general practices and out-of-hours services.
The contact rates for asthma or COPD in general practices (blue) and out-of-hours services (orange), for 2019 (dots) and 2020 (lines).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Type of consultations in general practice for asthma or COPD.
The difference in type of consultation in general practice for asthma or COPD, 2020 compared to 2019.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Type of consultations at out-of-hours services for asthma or COPD.
The difference in type of consultation at out-of-hours services for asthma or COPD, 2020 compared to 2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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