An Investigation into the Digitalisation of New Zealand General Practice Services During COVID-19

AIM:This study investigates the digital transition initiated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that enabled the digitalisation of general practices (GPs) in New Zealand. METHOD:Using a multiple case study design, we conducted 86 in-depth interviews with staff from 16 GP centres in New Zealand. RESULTS:The critical enablers of digital transition in response to the pandemic were support from the community, agility and adaptability of GP medical centres and the ability to pragmatically create external operational processes to ensure business continuity and to meet patient expectations. Major barriers to digitalisation at the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic (28 February to 30 August 2020) included lack of organisational leadership, financial support availability, systems management collaboration, and patient and staff knowledge and preferences. Digitalisation was characterised by the GP centre's ability to provide telehealth services using existing systems and technology, embracing e-prescription, e-referrals, e-lab and video-only consults. CONCLUSION:The decision to adopt digitalisation had a significant impact on GP centres, disrupting the norm but also allowing continued access to health services to patients who were the most vulnerable during the pandemic. The pandemic forced GP medical centres to change to digitalisation and led to significant changes in GP medical centres' business models. However, it remains to be seen how the rapid change effected at this time correlates with patient satisfaction and how the digitalisation capabilities that have been built impact on future primary care services. This study suggests that changes brought about by COVID-19 may pave the way to an expansion of GP telehealth services, which has the potential to permanently change the primary care landscape.