Abstract

COSTA, Luís Paulo et al. COVID-19: adaptation of a primary health care facility to the new accessibility challenges to health care. Rev Port Med Geral Fam [online]. 2022, vol.38, n.1, pp.125-128.  Epub Feb 28, 2022. ISSN 2182-5173.  https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v38i1.13008.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a quick adaptation of the health services so that the response and quality of care could be maintained. In order to guarantee the accessibility of users to primary health care and minimize the consequences of social distancing, offering alternatives to face-to-face consultation, our family health unit created a support line for the patients. The health professionals of this primary health care facility purchased six mobile phones and created six different helplines: two lines for general medical support, two lines for matters related to COVID-19, a nursing support line, and a support line for clinical secretaries. A database was created to record all telephone contacts. This database also allowed direct referral to psychological support. The record of the clinical secretaries’ line was discontinued.

A six-month period was evaluated (between March 16 and September 16, 2020). 7,535 calls were registered: 5,281 to the general medical support lines, 230 to the medical lines related to COVID-19, and 2,024 to the nursing support lines. Fifty-one referrals were made for psychological support.

The restrictions that forced extraordinary measures will be lifted one day and this experience may provide some knowledge for the future, regarding how to diversify the accessibility of a primary health care facility and highlight the need for investment in this area. In the current pandemic situation, telemedicine has proven to be an adequate alternative for the care and guidance of users.

Keywords : COVID-19; Telemedicine; Accessibility; Primary health care.

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