German GPs’ Self-Perceived Role in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Leadership, Participation in Regional Services and Preferences for Future Pandemic Preparedness

Simon Kugai (), Dorothea Wild, Yelda Krumpholtz, Manuela Schmidt, Katrin Balzer, Astrid Mayerböck and Birgitta Weltermann
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Simon Kugai: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Dorothea Wild: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Yelda Krumpholtz: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Manuela Schmidt: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Katrin Balzer: Nursing Research Unit, Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Luebeck, Germany
Astrid Mayerböck: uzbonn, Survey Center Bonn—Center for Empirical Social Research and Evaluation, Oxfordstraße 15, 53111 Bonn, Germany
Birgitta Weltermann: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: General practitioners (GPs) played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about GPs’ view of their role, leadership, participation in regional services and preferences for future pandemic preparedness. This representative study of German GPs comprised a web-based survey and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). It addressed GPs’ satisfaction with their role, self-perceived leadership (validated C-LEAD scale), participation in newly established health services, and preferences for future pandemic preparedness (net promotor score; NPS; range −100 to +100%). Statistical analyses were conducted using Spearman’s correlation and Kruskal–Wallis tests. In total, 630 GPs completed the questionnaire and 102 GPs the CATI. In addition to their practice duties, most GPs (72.5%) participated in at least one regional health service, mainly vaccination centres/teams (52.7%). Self-perceived leadership was high with a C-LEAD score of 47.4 (max. 63; SD ± 8.5). Overall, 58.8% were not satisfied with their role which correlated with the feeling of being left alone (r = −0.349, p < 0.001). 77.5 % of respondents believed that political leaders underestimated GPs’ potential contribution to pandemic control. Regarding regional pandemic services, GPs preferred COVID-19 focus practices (NPS +43.7) over diagnostic centres (NPS −31). Many GPs, though highly engaged regionally, were dissatisfied with their role but had clear preferences for future regional services. Future pandemic planning should integrate GPs’ perspectives.

Keywords: general practitioners; pandemic preparedness; COVID-19; regional healthcare; healthcare services; leadership; nationwide survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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