Keywords: Primary care, COVID-19 home vaccination, SWOT framework, Greece

Background:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 home vaccination programme was introduced to reach the frail population unable to access the vaccination points. In Greece, primary care professionals (PCPs) played a pivotal role in delivering this service. This kind of service did not exist prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research questions:

What is the experience of PCPs from their participation in COVID-19 home vaccination programme?

Method:

A qualitative study was conducted involving semi-structured interviews with PCPs (general practitioners, registered nurses, and health visitors) from diverse geographic regions in Greece in the spring of 2022. Participants were purposively sampled based on their profession, the working setting (urban/rural/island), and the sector (public/private). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using the SWOT framework to identify internal and external factors shaping their experiences

Results:

We analysed 23 interviews. Key strengths included a stimulating experience for the PCPs, increasing collaboration between them and empowering patients and caregivers. Opportunities emerged in terms of enhancing primary care outreach and the interest in the community for the development of home-based primary care programmes for the homebound population. Weaknesses involved logistical challenges, burnout and overworked staff, and limited resources. Finally, threats are identified in the lack of coordination between institutions and social distrust regarding the pandemic and the safety of vaccines.

Conclusions:

The participation in the programme highlights how such initiatives, while developed in response to a health crisis, have the potential to be used as a means of strengthening the role of primary care in the community. Addressing barriers emerging either from the healthcare system or the community is essential to implement similar efforts during future health crises. The SWOT analysis proved to be particularly useful, facilitating the drawing of conclusions and the targeted formulation of proposals for future interventions in home health care.

Points for discussion:

1. How could the experiences from a crisis response be effectively integrated into PCPs training to prepare future practitioners for leadership roles during similar emergencies?

2. In which ways could primary care be supported to expand its services beyond the practice setting?

3. How could the coordination between the institutions be improved during public health crises?