Fallzahlen und herausforderungen in südbayerischen hausarztpraxen während der COVID-19-pandemie

Background The COVID-19 pandemic poses major challenges to family medicine practices. In a cross-sectional survey we investigated the caseload and the perceived challenges in Southern Bavarian primary care practices during the first phase of the pandemic. Methods A four-page questionnaire was sent to all 210 practices accredited for under-graduate teaching of family medicine at the Medical Faculty of the Technical University of Munich. Answers on closed questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics; free text answers were categorized inductively. Results A total of 160 questionnaires were available for analysis (response rate 76 %). 92 % of participants had seen at least one patient with a SARS-CoV-2 infection, two colleagues saw more than 100 infected patients; the median number was 10. 63 % had at least one patient hospitalized and 31 % at least one death associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In contrast, only 23 % of the nursing homes looked after by the participants were affected by infections; in individual nursing homes, however, there were numerous hospitalizations and deaths. In 18 % of practices at least one member of the team was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The most important challenges were the lack of protective equipment and the adaptation of the practice process to the pandemic situation. With regard to a possible “second wave”, the need for protective equipment and a better flow of information were central issues. Conclusions The caseload and consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 infections experienced by participants were highly variable. A large proportion of the nursing homes remained without cases of infection. The risk of infection for physicians and practice employees in the early phase was considerable.