- Published
- 19 November 2024
- Journal article
Delphi definition of general practice/family medicine specialty for a post-COVID world: in-person and remote care delivery
- Authors
-
- Source
- Family Practice
Full text
Abstract
Introduction: The evolving landscape of general practice (GP)/family medicine (FM) in the post-COVID-19 era, focussing on integrating telemedicine and remote consultations requires a new definition for this specialty. Hence, a broader consensus-based definition of post-COVID-19 GP/FM is warranted. Methods: This study involved a modified electronic Delphi technique involving 27 specialists working in primary care recruited via convenient and snowball sampling. The Delphi survey was conducted online between August 2022 and April 2023, utilizing the Google Forms platform. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse consensus across Delphi rounds. Results: Twenty-six international experts participated in the survey. The retention rate through the second and third Delphi rounds was 96.2% (n=25). The broader consensus definition emphasizes person-centred care, collaborative patient-physician partnerships, and a holistic approach to health, including managing acute and chronic conditions through in-person or remote access based on patient preferences, medical needs, and local health system organization. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of continuity of care, prevention, and coordination with other healthcare professionals as core values of primary care. It also reflects the role of GP/FM in addressing new challenges post-pandemic, such as healthcare delivery beyond standard face-to-face care (e.g. remote consultations) and an increasingly important role in the prevention of infectious diseases. This underscores the need for ongoing research and patient involvement to continually refine and improve primary healthcare delivery in response to changing healthcare landscapes.
Rights
This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model (https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights)
Cite as
Prazeres, F., Jamoulle, M., Kareli, A., Collins, C., Móczár, C., Wong, M., Bhattacharya, S., Vinker, S., Low, L., Abdul-Razak, S., Brooke, J., Verjee, M., Yaman, H., Prasad, P., Søndergaard, J., Pond, D., Hughes, L., Cihan, F., Tsimtsiou, Z., Harrison, C., Albarqouni, L., Yuan, B., Lee, Y., Van Royen, P., Govender, I., Arnetz, B. & O'Donnell, C. 2024, 'Delphi definition of general practice/family medicine specialty for a post-COVID world: in-person and remote care delivery', Family Practice, 42(2), article no: cmae061. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmae061