Intersectoral online training and exchange during the covid-19 pandemic in a district: Component for intersectoral communication of care

ABSTRACT

In anticipation of the pressure of the rising numbers in COVID-19 cases on the regional health system, an exchange between the actors engaged in handling the pandemic from a medical perspective in the district of Rhein-Neckar/ Heidelberg was initiated in October 2020. The outpatient and inpatient sector as well as the public health office of the district and the Department of Family Medicine and Health Services Research of the University Hospital participated. A mutual online meeting was planned to enable bidirectional exchange at the intersection of primary care. The mutually identified topics, like criteria for admission, therapy and nursing homes were ver-ified via an online survey (n = 63 participants, 76 % family physicians). Additional topics that had been suggested were passed on to the intersectional actors and, wherever possible, included in the meeting. On 11 December 2020, 71 physicians attended the meeting. In addition to the presentations, 53 questions were asked and discussed by the presenters via chat. Demand for a follow-up meeting was high. In January, a follow-up event with n = 115 participants focusing on COVID-19 vaccinations war organized, again with an active participation and a high request for a follow-up meeting. So, the experiences encourage to continue this format, involving all the actors relevant for a medical management of the pan-demic. This could be a component for fostering a bilateral communication, on the one hand engaging the actors of the primary care sector and on the other hand providing continuing medical education in the dynamic pandemic.