Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the walk-in appointment in a Primary Health Care Unit
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v38i6.13434Keywords:
Primary health care, Acute appointments, Healthcare crew resource management, COVID-19Abstract
Introduction: The walk-in appointment is an appointment scheduled on the same day, to solve situations of acute illness. Its’ inappropriate use is a recurrent problem that causes a failure to respond adequately to users. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a reformulation of activity in primary health care as it was necessary to limit face-to-face contact with the patients.
Objectives: Identify the impact of COVID-19 on the walk-in appointment demand, as a starting point to find solutions to this problem.
Methods: Descriptive observational study with an analytical component of the walk-in appointment in April/19, April/20, and April/21, in a family health unit, with sociodemographic characterization of users and identification of the reasons for appointment and their relevance.
Results: An average of 18 daily appointments were conducted in 2019, 19 in 2020, and 31 in 2021. There were no differences in the users’ sociodemographic characteristics between the analyzed periods, with a transversal predominance of females and mean age between 45 and 52 years. Before the pandemic, general and musculoskeletal reasons prevailed. In 2020, the relative weight of respiratory complaints increased and in 2021 the pre-pandemic pattern was restored. The year was related to the adequacy of the reason (p<0.001), with inadequacy values of 47% in 2019, 19% in 2020 and 31% in 2021. The most frequent errors were the same – non-acute clinical complaints, delivery of exam results, and renewal/request of sick leaves – but with different relative weights (p<0.001).
Conclusion: An adequate patient education about the correct reasons for using the walk-in appointment is essential, as well as to ensure adequate accessibility to other appointment modalities, so as not to motivate the improper use of the walk-in appointment.
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