Thunderstorm asthma epidemic - management challenges experienced by general practice clinics

To understand the challenges faced by general practice (GP) services in terms of personnel, materials, secondary support services, and discharge and communication obstacles during the thunderstorm asthma (TA) epidemic in 2016.

Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and focus groups between September and October 2017. Participants were general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses, and administrative staff working on the TA epidemic days in the northern region of Melbourne, Australia.

18 participants contributed to the study from six clinic sites. Both daytime and evening clinics experienced a surge in respiratory patient presentations. After-hours clinics were inundated with asthma patients during the night of the thunderstorm. Consistent themes emerged about the challenges encountered by participants the most significant being limitation of medication, equipment, space, and personnel. The extraordinary influx of patients necessitated participants innovate solutions including recycling equipment, procuring medications from hospitals and community pharmacies, triage, altering management strategies and extending clinic hours. Participants were limited by the paucity of information from local services during the TA epidemic.

This study supports the view that GP services made a substantial contribution to the emergency response on the evening of the TA epidemic that occurred in Melbourne in 2016. Demands on resources were considerable during and after the epidemic yet GP staff showed great resilience increasing clinic surge capacity. Our findings indicate significant barriers at an organizational level including resource limitations, inadequate operational information, and the absence of timely communication channels that impaired the response of GP services during a TA event.