Impact of COVID-19 on Delays in General Practice. A Retrospective Analysis

BackgroundFrom the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, worries have been exposed about collateral damage to patients’ health through postponed appointments, and delayed diagnostic testing and referrals in general practice.AimTo study delays in presentation and management of health problems in general practice during the first 9 months of the COVID-19 crisis. We aimed at symptoms that were most relevant: COVID-19 related symptoms, cancer-related symptoms, mental health symptoms, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Design and settingRetrospective analysis of routine patient data from a practice based registration network in the Netherlands (population 40.000 patients; 30 GPs).MethodWe compared data from the first nine months of the COVID-19 crisis to the preceding 5 years, and analyzed differences between the periods of time in the duration of symptoms before presentation, and the duration from the first presentation in general practice until diagnostic testing and referrals.ResultsWe found no indications that patients waited longer to contact the FP for newly presented health symptoms; only COVID-19 related symptoms were presented earlier to family practice (p< 0.001). Also, we found no delays in general practice for diagnostic testing or referring to hospital care in 2020.ConclusionsGeneral practice maintained its capability to deliver timely care for newly presented health symptoms during the COVID-19 crisis, despite serious changes in delivery modes: patients have contacted their GPs broadly when it was needed, and do not seem to have postponed their help seeking behavior massively. Follow-up studies are needed to monitor long term consequences also in other health echelons.