Building a Primary Healthcare Services Contigency Plan in the European Context

Sara Ares Blanco, Raquel Gomez Bravo, Marina Guisado Clavero, Ileana Gefaell Larrondo, Maria Pilar Astier Pena, Thomas Frese, Research Team Eurodata Project

Keywords: contigency plan; health crisis; primary healthcare; public health; Europe

Introduction:

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for Primary Healthcare Facilities (PHFs) across Europe. Initially, the lack of information about PHFs hindered effective response strategies, including infrastructure adaptation, healthcare delivery reconfiguration, ensuring continuity of care for chronic and vulnerable patients, and procurement of essential supplies, funding, and vaccines. It is imperative to draw lessons from this experience and develop a robust contingency plan for PHFs in Europe to guide future responses to health crises.

Method:

We conducted a thorough literature review of relevant publications addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and PHF response plans in the first semester of 2024. Subsequently, we developed a structured contingency plan framework, which underwent validation by the EURODATA research team through online meetings. The initial draft was then circulated among key stakeholders for further refinement. A structured chapter model was devised, incorporating content and infographics to succinctly summarize each chapter's key points.

Results:

Ten chapters were meticulously crafted, covering the following topics: 1. Primary healthcare's role in European health systems during crises. 2. Legal and regulatory frameworks, leadership, and governance at European and national levels. 3. Resource assessment and allocation strategies. 4. Patient care protocols tailored for health crises. 5. Facility preparedness measures. 6. Communication strategies for effective crisis management. 7. Data management and surveillance systems. 8. Financial planning and budgeting considerations. 9. Addressing pandemics beyond COVID-19. 10. Supporting professional well-being to enhance crisis resilience.

Conclusions:

The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the critical importance of learning from PHF experiences and proactively preparing for future health crises. A structured contingency plan for PHFs in Europe needs to be incorporated into future public health plans.

#42