The following is a summary of “Exploring the Accessibility of Primary Health Care Data in Europe’s COVID-19 Response: Developing Key Indicators for managing future pandemics,” published in the June 2024 issue of Primary Care by Ares-Blanco et al.

Primary Health Care (PHC) plays a pivotal yet often overlooked role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, where most cases are mild or moderate, requiring hospitalization in only 8% of instances. This study aims to comprehensively examine PHC’s response across Europe, focusing on several key objectives: detailing clinical pathways for acute COVID-19 cases within PHC, including those in long-term care facilities; identifying and describing critical PHC COVID-19 pandemic indicators; developing actionable PHC activity indicators specific to COVID-19; analyzing PHC’s integral role in national vaccination strategies; and formulating a contingency plan for PHC to navigate future pandemics.

This mixed-method study employs online questionnaires to gather PHC data on COVID-19 management and vaccination involvement retrospectively. Validation occurs through focus groups with medical and public health experts, supplemented by a two-wave Delphi survey to establish a consensus on European PHC indicators for pandemic preparedness. A coordinated health system action plan involving PHC, secondary care, and public health will be devised to enhance pandemic resilience. Quantitative data will undergo descriptive and multivariate analyses using STATA v16.0, while qualitative insights will be derived from content analysis of focus group discussions and Delphi survey results. The Eurodata research group, comprising experts from 28 European countries, supports this initiative.

Despite PHC’s central role in managing mild to moderate COVID-19 cases, comprehensive data representation across European countries needs to be more consistent. This study’s multinational approach aims to provide a robust overview of PHC’s pandemic response, pioneering the development of a dedicated PHC dashboard and a cohesive health system plan for future pandemics in Europe. While the findings promise invaluable insights, potential biases from key informant involvement and variations in GP practice representation warrant consideration. Ensuring PHC data visibility and integrating it into broader public health discourse are crucial steps toward optimizing pandemic response strategies in Europe and beyond.

Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-024-02413-5