[Survey of the workload of primary care physicians during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A proof-of-concept study]

One of the conclusions from the experience with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic of 2020 to 2022 was the requirement for data on primary care/ambulatory care to assess the severity of the pandemic in a timely manner. Since most patients with COVID-19 in Germany had been primarily cared for by general practitioners, the question arose whether the incidence course of a pandemic can be mapped by means of a regular evaluation of GP workload and number of patients.

From January 2021 to June 2021, 12 replicative, internet-based cross-sectional surveys were conducted fortnightly. Invitations were sent out to all members of the German Society of General Practice/Family Medicine (DEGAM) and selected federal/regional member organizations of the German Association of General Practitioners. They were asked about increases in personal workload, number of patients with COVID-19, and other conditions of patient care.

On average, 697 general practitioners (GPs) participated in each survey and completed a total of 8,369 questionnaires. The composition of participants remained consistent across the 12 survey periods, with 82.9-87.2 % being practice owners and 32.0-40.7 % working in group practices. Over time, the proportion of physicians reporting an increased workload reached a minimum of 24.2 % in February 2021; from March 2021 onward, there was a trend reversal with a peak (88.1 %) in May 2021. The change in the GPs' workload developed in phases that ran parallel to the official RKI reporting data on the COVID-19 incidence. The reported increase in the care deficit for patients with chronic diseases or social problems did not show a temporal dynamic comparable to the reported incidence trend.

A replicative survey among GPs conducted between January 2021 and June 2021 revealed changes in the workload of general practitioners under pandemic conditions. The progression of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic during the same period and the observed change in workload developed in parallel. The methodology used (an internet-based, replicative survey among GPs) could therefore be a low-threshold, resource-saving approach to assessing the course of a pandemic. Despite the increasing workload during the different waves of the pandemic, the care for chronically ill patients reported by the GPs was not subject to any pandemic-related dynamics.