PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Linda Huibers
AU  - Bodil H Hammer
AU  - Ulrik B Kirk
AU  - Per Kallestrup
AU  - Claus Vestergaard
AU  - Morten Bondo Christensen
TI  - Contacts in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: a register-based study
AID  - 10.3399/BJGP.2021.0703
DP  - 2022 Aug 27
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - BJGP.2021.0703
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/early/2022/08/26/BJGP.2021.0703.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/early/2022/08/26/BJGP.2021.0703.full
AB  - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the provision of healthcare and expanded telehealth consultations. Aim: To study the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on contact patterns in general practice, and to identify patient groups at risk of losing care. Design and setting: Register-based study in Danish general practice, including daytime and out-of-hours (OOH) services. Methods: All individuals residing in Denmark from 1 January 2017 to 31 October 2020 were included. We calculated the incidence rate (IR) for six contact types in general practice and adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) by comparing the IR in the pandemic period with adjusted expected IR based on IR in the pre-pandemic period. Results: The number of face-to-face in-clinic consultations declined during the lockdown in March 2020. A subsequent increase in the number of clinic consultations was observed, rising to a level above that of the pre-pandemic period; this increase resulted mainly from the introduction of telehealth consultations. The number of daytime email consultations increased, whereas the number of daytime home visits decreased. Likewise, the number of OOH telephone consultations increased, whereas the number of OOH home visits and clinic consultations decreased. Consultation rates of vulnerable patients, i.e., those with low education, old age, and comorbidity, were most adversely affected by the pandemic. The most adverse impact in OOH clinic consultations was seen for children aged 0-10 years. Conclusions: New methods are called for to ensure access to general practice for vulnerable patients during a pandemic. The potential of telehealth consultations should be further investigated.