General practitioners’ perceptions of using virtual primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kosovo: An international cross-sectional survey study

Gazmend Bojaj, Blerina Bojaj, Ozden Gokdemir, Ilir Hoxha, Arben Hysenaj

Keywords: COVID-19; primary health care; PRICOV-19; quality of care; infection prevention and control; patient safety; family medicine; infectious diseases

Introduction:

This study aimed to explore GPs’ perspectives on the main benefits and challenges of using virtual care tools (telephone, online consultations tools, messaging platforms etc), mapping them against the main domains of quality of care whenever possible. While under utilised in
the past due to the dominance of interviewing in qualitative research and misplaced assumptions about lack of data depth, online surveys are now a recognised method for qualitative research.

Method:

The study used an online questionnaire survey of GPs in two countries. Recruitment took place between June–September 2020.
The questionnaire included 30 items assessing GPs’ perspectives on the adoption and experience of virtual care solutions during the COVID-19 outbreak (S1 Appendix). Participants’ characteristics were collected, including age, gender, country, practice setting, number of years
of experience as GP, and involvement in teaching activities.

Results:

The reduced risk of COVID-19 transmission was identified as the main safety benefit. Participants also recognised that virtual care had benefits on effectiveness, ensuring accessibility and continuity of care for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Participants highlighted that virtual care has improved equity in access to care for some groups of patients (,reduce unnecessary face-to-face visits (i.e., mild illnesses, prescription renewal, or administrative tasks). Participants also believed that virtual care improved timeliness, including less time spent in physical dislocation, waiting for administrative procedures, or for clinical appointments.

Conclusions:

Experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic can be used to inform the stable adoption of virtual care solutions, the co-designing of processes and platforms that are technologically and supported by a strategic long-term plan.
Accompanying policies need to minimise digital exclusion, optimise patients’ experience, and necessitate rigorously evaluations of virtual primary care both during and after the pandemic, and incorporate the lessons learned into legal and regulatory frameworks to support its long-term, sustainable use.

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