Effects of COVID-19 on Irish general practice activity from 2019 to 2021: a retrospective analysis of 500,000 consultations using electronic medical record data.

Abstract

Background: General practice (GP) is crucial to primary care delivery in the Republic of Ireland and is almost fully computerised. General practice teams were the first point of contact for much COVID-19-related care and there were concerns routine healthcare activities could be disrupted due to COVID-19 and related restrictions.

Aims: The study aimed to assess effects of the pandemic on GP activity through analysis of electronic medical record data from general practice clinics in the Irish Midwest.

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study of electronic medical record data relating to patient record updates, appointments and medications prescribed across 10 GP clinics over the period 2019-2021 inclusive.

Results: Data relating to 1.18 million record transactions for 32 k patients were analysed. Over 500 k appointments were examined, and demographic trends presented. Overall appointment and prescribing activity increased over the study period, while a dip was observed immediately after the pandemic's arrival in March 2020. Delivery of non-childhood immunisations increased sixfold as a result of COVID-19, childhood immunisation activity was maintained, while cervical smears decreased in 2020 as the screening programme was halted. A quarter of consultations in 2020 and 2021 were teleconsultations, and these were more commonplace for younger patients.

Conclusions: General practice responded robustly to the pandemic by taking on additional activities while maintaining routine services where possible. The shift to teleconsulting was a significant change in workflow. Analysing routinely collected electronic medical record data can provide valuable insights for service planning, and access to these insights would be beneficial for future pandemic responses.