In:
British Journal of General Practice, Royal College of General Practitioners, Vol. 73, No. 728 ( 2023-03), p. e220-e230
Abstract:
Health emergencies disproportionally affect vulnerable populations. Digital tools can help primary care providers find, and reach, the right patients. Aim To evaluate whether digital interventions delivered directly to GPs’ clinical software were more effective at promoting primary care appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic than interventions delivered by post. Design and setting Real-world, non-randomised, interventional study involving GP practices in all Australian states. Method Intervention material was developed to promote care coordination for vulnerable older veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, and sent to GPs either digitally to the clinical practice software system or in the post. The intervention material included patient-specific information sent to GPs to support care coordination, and education material sent via post to veterans identified in the administrative claims database. To evaluate the impact of intervention delivery modalities on outcomes, the time to first appointment with the primary GP was measured; a Cox proportional hazards model was used, adjusting for differences and accounting for pre-intervention appointment numbers. Results The intervention took place in April 2020, during the first weeks of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in Australia. GPs received digital messaging for 51 052 veterans and postal messaging for 26 859 veterans. The digital group was associated with earlier appointments (adjusted hazard ratio 1.38 [1.34 to 1.41]). Conclusion Data-driven digital solutions can promote care coordination at scale during national emergencies, opening up new perspectives for precision public-health initiatives.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0960-1643
,
1478-5242
DOI:
10.3399/BJGP.2022.0067
Language:
English
Publisher:
Royal College of General Practitioners
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2097982-4
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