Self-reported practices and learning needs of private general practitioners during the pandemic in South Africa
Keywords:
private, general practitioners, skills, roles, competencies, learning needs, COVID-19 pandemic, South AfricaAbstract
Background: General practitioners (GPs) are the first contact when seeking medical treatment for any symptom. However, their clinical practices and learning needs in the pandemic remain unknown in South Africa. We aimed to evaluate private GP practices and learning needs during the pandemic in South Africa. The objectives described and determined participant characteristics, skills, and roles and identified gaps.
Methods: The online survey conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of private general GPs in South Africa between 30 June and 30 July 2021. Overall, 7 782 subscribed to the e-mail marketing network, which conducted a single-stage cluster sampling. A validated data collection tool and COVID-19 scorecard on the Likert scale were utilised. Data analyses used R and R Studio (v 2021.09.0+351) (R Core Team, 2019) and Microsoft Excel (v 2019).
Results: Respondents completed 88 questionnaires (40 males, 48 females, median age 47 years). The median clinical practice was 60%. The best-performing domain was medical products and technologies, at 69% (n = 61). The lowest was service delivery, at 47% (n = 41). Most reported training and practice in administration, communication, consultation, women’s health, and emergencies. Most did not practice obstetrics and paediatrics and lacked forensic medicine training and skills. Significant GP roles were competent clinician, capacity builder, and critical thinker. The minors were collaborators, community advocates, and the slightest change agents.
Conclusion: Most private GPs are trained in most disciplines with limited exposure to forensic medicine. Similarly, most competencies are performed except as change agents. However, gaps exist in obstetrics, paediatrics, and forensic medicine skills. Further research is recommended.