The contribution of family physicians to residential mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tshwane District, South Africa

Kruger, Annelet; Eales, Owen O.; Vuuren, Sanet Jansen van

doi:10.4102/phcfm.v13i1.3045

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Lastly, FPs bring systems thinking to the team, in that they can implement innovation and respond to changing health needs. 37,38 Family physicians are trained to improve sequential and parallel coordination of care, for example, between primary and secondary care. They are also trained to improve informational and relational continuity, for example, through bolstering health information systems or ensuring ongoing care with the same team of health professionals.…”

Section: Leadership and Clinical Governancementioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of family physicians to district health services in South Africa: A national position paper by the South African Academy of Family Physicians

Physicians¹

2022

S Afr Fam Pract

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The purpose of this position paper by the South African Academy of Family Physicians (SAAFPs) is to inform decision making on human resources for health policy in South Africa and the placement of family physicians (FPs) in the district health system. National policies have been marred by misunderstanding of the roles and contribution of FPs; and there is unhelpful variability in how FPs are positioned in the health services between provinces. In the private sector, medical aid schemes have discriminated against FPs by failing to remunerate them as specialists and to recognise their scope of practice.

show abstract

Section: Leadership and Clinical Governancementioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of family physicians to district health services in South Africa: A national position paper by the South African Academy of Family Physicians

Physicians¹

2022

S Afr Fam Pract

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Zoom provided the opportunity to do daily “virtual ward rounds” where patients could be discussed and advice given … on the use of blood tests, oxygen concentrators, antibiotics and steroids. 14 (Tshwane, South Africa)…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[ This ] is a residential care facility that offers medical and residential care to 160 severe and profoundly disabled adults. 14 (Tshwane, South Africa)…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The contribution of family physicians to African health systems

Mash

2022

Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Africa is the last region to incorporate family physicians into its health systems. They are still a relatively new concept in many countries, small in numbers and deployed in a variety of ways. There is a need for more evidence on their contribution to African health systems to guide policymakers.Aim: The aim of this study was to review the special collection of short reports on the contribution of family physicians to African health systems, published in the African Primary Health Care and Family Medicine Journal in 2021.Method: Seventeen short reports from eight countries were qualitatively and thematically analysed in ATLAS.ti. Codes, which were derived inductively, were organised into categories according to the World Health Organization’s primary health care monitoring framework.Results: In the domain of health system determinants, family physicians made little contribution to governance, adjustment to population health needs or financing. They did, however, contribute substantially to the capacity of the health workforce, supply of equipment, functioning of the health information system and use of digital technologies. In the domain of service delivery, they strengthened the model of care and championed systems for improving the quality of care. This translated into improved availability and utilisation of services, core functions of primary care, quality of care and patient safety.Conclusion: Family physicians described their important contribution to service delivery in district hospitals and primary health care. This should lead to improvements in outcomes and impact for the health system. Their contribution to the concept of resilient facilities and health services needs further exploration.

show abstract

A Family Medicine response to the COVID-19 lockdown: University of Pretoria perspective

Madela-Mntla,

Ngcobo

2023

South African Health Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The COVID-19 pandemic caused great social, political and economic disruption, and imposed unprecedented changes in work, lifestyle, service delivery and social interactions in South Africa and worldwide. Healthcare providers, working in often already overstretched healthcare systems, found themselves at the forefront of global and national efforts to contain the havoc of morbidity and mortality wreaked by SARS-CoV2. This chapter describes efforts by the University of Pretoria’s Department of Family Medicine (UPDFM) to deliver on its mandate of teaching, learning, and research in the face of the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic during the March-September 2020 nationwide hard lockdown. Methods A perspective review was undertaken, drawing on reports, meeting minutes, email correspondences and electronic personal communications analysed to describe the activities undertaken by the UPDFM during the study period. Results Nationally, some of the adaptive responses triggered by the COVID-19 lockdown drew from the pre-existing UPDFM repertoire of community-oriented, learner- and patient-centred practices of service delivery. Key among these practices were data collection and management using validated tools; virtual communication and meetings; health promotion and disease prevention through training nurses, community health workers and patients on newly developed Covid-19 prevention strategies; clinical intervention, including screening and diagnosis, treatment and care coordination using telemedicine and full service delivery in homeless shelters; patient referral/mobility by staff using sponsored rental cars and using an application to call an ambulance, and treatment continuation through home delivery of medication. Conclusions COVID-19 restrictions presented the UPDFM with a unique opportunity to draw from its experience and create rapid, impactful interventions. Most lessons learnt by the UPDFM during the crisis proved invaluable for use beyond the acute phase of the pandemic, thereby transforming the health system for better pandemic preparedness.

show abstract

The contribution of family physicians to residential mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tshwane District, South Africa

Cited by 3 publications

References 4 publications

The contribution of family physicians to district health services in South Africa: A national position paper by the South African Academy of Family Physicians

The contribution of family physicians to district health services in South Africa: A national position paper by the South African Academy of Family Physicians

The contribution of family physicians to African health systems

A Family Medicine response to the COVID-19 lockdown: University of Pretoria perspective

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About