Department of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.
Leadersh Health Serv (Bradf Engl). 2022 Jul 27;ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print):559-75. doi: 10.1108/LHS-03-2022-0030.
Strong leadership in primary care is necessary to coordinate an effective pandemic response; however, descriptions of leadership roles for family physicians are absent from previous pandemic plans. This study aims to describe the leadership roles and functions family physicians played during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and identify supports and barriers to formalizing these roles in future pandemic plans.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This study conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with family physicians across four regions in Canada as part of a multiple case study. During the interviews, participants were asked about their roles during each pandemic stage and the facilitators and barriers they experienced. Interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis approach was used to identify recurring themes.
Sixty-eight family physicians completed interviews. Three key functions of family physician leadership during the pandemic were identified: conveying knowledge, developing and adapting protocols for primary care practices and advocacy. Each function involved curating and synthesizing information, tailoring communications based on individual needs and building upon established relationships.
Findings demonstrate the need for future pandemic plans to incorporate formal family physician leadership appointments, as well as supports such as training, communication aides and compensation to allow family physicians to enact these key roles.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to examine the leadership roles of family physicians, which have been largely overlooked in past pandemic plans. This study's findings highlight the importance of these roles toward delivering an effective and coordinated pandemic response with uninterrupted and safe access to primary care.
在初级保健中进行强有力的领导对于协调有效的大流行应对至关重要；然而，之前的大流行计划中没有描述家庭医生的领导角色。本研究旨在描述加拿大 COVID-19 大流行期间家庭医生所扮演的领导角色和职能，并确定在未来大流行计划中正式确定这些角色的支持和障碍。
设计/方法/方法：本研究作为一项多案例研究的一部分，对加拿大四个地区的家庭医生进行了半结构式定性访谈。在访谈中，参与者被问及他们在每个大流行阶段的角色，以及他们所经历的促进因素和障碍。对访谈进行了转录，并采用主题分析方法来确定反复出现的主题。
68 名家庭医生完成了访谈。确定了家庭医生在大流行期间领导的三个关键职能：传播知识、为初级保健实践制定和调整协议以及倡导。每个职能都涉及到策划和综合信息，根据个人需求调整沟通，并建立在既定关系的基础上。
研究结果表明，未来的大流行计划需要纳入正式的家庭医生领导任命，以及培训、沟通辅助和补偿等支持，以使家庭医生能够发挥这些关键角色。
原创性/价值：COVID-19 大流行提供了一个独特的机会，可以研究家庭医生的领导角色，这些角色在过去的大流行计划中基本上被忽视了。本研究的结果强调了这些角色对于提供有效和协调一致的大流行应对以及不间断和安全地获得初级保健的重要性。
