Experiences and management strategies of Norwegian GPs during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal interview study.

OBJECTIVE: When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Norway, primary health care had to reorganize to ensure safe patient treatment and maintain infection control. General practitioners (GPs) are key health care providers in the municipalities. Our aim was to explore the experiences and management strategies of Norwegian GPs during the COVID-19 pandemic - over time, and in the context of a sudden organizational change. DESIGN: Longitudinal qualitative interview study with two interview rounds. The first round of interviews was conducted from September-December 2020, the second round from January-April 2021. In the first interview round, we performed eight semi-structured interviews with GPs from eight municipalities in Norway. In the second round, five of the GPs were re-interviewed. Consecutive interviews were performed 2-4 months apart. To analyze the data, we used thematic analysis. RESULTS: The COVID-19 pandemic required GPs to balance several concerns, such as continuity of care and their own professional efforts. Several GPs experienced challenges in the collaboration with the municipality and in relation to defining their own professional position. Guided by The Norwegian Association of General practitioners, The Norwegian College of General Practice and collegial support, they found viable solutions and ended up with a feeling of having adapted to a new normal. CONCLUSIONS: Although our study demonstrates that the GPs adapted to the changing conditions, the current municipal health care models are not ideal. There is a need for clarification of responsibilities between GPs and the municipality to facilitate a more coordinated future pandemic response.Key PointsFacing the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary health care service in Norway had to reorganize to ensure safe patient treatment and maintain infection control.Several GPs experienced challenges in collaboration with the municipalities.There is a need for clarification of responsibilities between GPs and the municipality.

Effect of a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention to improve antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults (ImpresU): pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial in four European countries.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults can be reduced through a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention. DESIGN: Pragmatic, parallel, cluster randomised controlled trial, with a five month baseline period and a seven month follow-up period. SETTING: 38 clusters consisting of one or more general practices (n=43) and older adult care organisations (n=43) in Poland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, from September 2019 to June 2021. PARTICIPANTS: 1041 frail older adults aged 70 or older (Poland 325, the Netherlands 233, Norway 276, Sweden 207), contributing 411 person years to the follow-up period. INTERVENTION: Healthcare professionals received a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention consisting of a decision tool for appropriate antibiotic use, supported by a toolbox with educational materials. A participatory-action-research approach was used for implementation, with sessions for education, evaluation, and local tailoring of the intervention. The control group provided care as usual. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the number of antibiotic prescriptions for suspected urinary tract infections per person year. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of complications, all cause hospital referrals, all cause hospital admissions, all cause mortality within 21 days after suspected urinary tract infections, and all cause mortality. RESULTS: The numbers of antibiotic prescriptions for suspected urinary tract infections in the follow-up period were 54 prescriptions in 202 person years (0.27 per person year) in the intervention group and 121 prescriptions in 209 person years (0.58 per person year) in the usual care group. Participants in the intervention group had a lower rate of receiving an antibiotic prescription for a suspected urinary tract infection compared with participants in the usual care group, with a rate ratio of 0.42 (95% confidence interval 0.26 to 0.68). No differences between intervention and control group were observed in the incidence of complications (<0.01 v 0.05 per person year), hospital referrals (<0.01 v 0.05), admissions to hospital (0.01 v 0.05), and mortality (0 v 0.01) within 21 days after suspected urinary tract infections, nor in all cause mortality (0.26 v 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention safely reduced antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03970356.

Multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention using a participatory-action-research approach to improve antibiotic prescribing for urinary tract infections in frail elderly (ImpresU): study protocol for a European qualitative study followed by a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Almost 60% of antibiotics in frail elderly are prescribed for alleged urinary tract infections (UTIs). A substantial part of this comprises prescriptions in case of non-specific symptoms or asymptomatic bacteriuria, for which the latest guidelines promote restrictiveness with antibiotics. We aim to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use for UTIs through an antibiotic stewardship intervention (ASI) that encourages to prescribe according to these guidelines. To develop an effective ASI, we first need a better understanding of the complex decision-making process concerning suspected UTIs in frail elderly. Moreover, the implementation approach requires tailoring to the heterogeneous elderly care setting. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: First, we conduct a qualitative study to explore factors contributing to antibiotic prescribing for UTIs in frail elderly, using semi-structured interviews with general practitioners, nursing staff, patients and informal caregivers. Next, we perform a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial in elderly care organisations. A multifaceted ASI is implemented in the intervention group; the control group receives care as usual. The ASI is centred around a decision tool that promotes restrictive antibiotic use, supported by a toolbox with educational materials. For the implementation, we use a modified participatory-action-research approach, guided by the results of the qualitative study. The primary outcome is the number of antibiotic prescriptions for suspected UTIs. We aim to recruit 34 clusters with in total 680 frail elderly residents ≥70 years. Data collection takes place during a 5-month baseline period and a 7-month follow-up period. Finally, we perform a process evaluation. The study has been delayed for 6 months due to COVID-19 and is expected to end in July 2021. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approvals and/or waivers were obtained from the ethical committees in Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03970356.

Use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic. / Bruk av antibiotika under covid-19-pandemien.

BACKGROUND: Interest has been shown in the use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article we present the consumption of systemic antibiotics in Norway during the period of the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Total sales of systemic antibiotics in defined daily doses (DDD) were retrieved from the wholesaler-based medicinal product statistics for 2019 and 2020, and sales of antibiotics for use outside of healthcare institutions were retrieved from the Norwegian prescription database. Information was retrieved on the proportion of users (prevalence), doses (measured in DDD) and prescriptions. RESULTS: Total sales of systemic antibiotics increased in March 2020, but sales to persons outside of healthcare institutions did not. Compared to previous years, both total consumption and use of antibiotics outside of institutions fell steeply in the months that followed. The reduction was greatest for antibiotics against respiratory infections and in the youngest age groups. INTERPRETATION: The significant reduction in the use of systemic antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic is attributed to infection control measures and reduced contact with the health service. In 2016, the Norwegian government set a goal for a 30 % reduction in antibiotic use by the end of 2020. The pandemic has contributed to the achievement of that goal.