"Family doctors are also people": a qualitative analysis of how family physicians managed competing personal and professional responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Family physicians (FPs) fill an essential role in public health emergencies yet have frequently been neglected in pandemic response plans. This exclusion harms FPs in their clinical roles and has unintended consequences in the management of concurrent personal responsibilities, many of which were amplified by the pandemic. The objective of our study was to explore the experiences of FPs during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic to better understand how they managed their competing professional and personal priorities. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with FPs from four Canadian regions between October 2020 and June 2021. Employing a maximum variation sampling approach, we recruited participants until we achieved saturation. Interviews explored FPs' personal and professional roles and responsibilities during the pandemic, the facilitators and barriers that they encountered, and any gender-related experiences. Transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. RESULTS: We interviewed 68 FPs during the pandemic and identified four overarching themes in participants' discussion of their personal experiences: personal caregiving responsibilities, COVID-19 risk navigation to protect family members, personal health concerns, and available and desired personal supports for FPs to manage their competing responsibilities. While FPs expressed a variety of ways in which their personal experiences made their professional responsibilities more complicated, rarely did that affect the extent to which they participated in the pandemic response. CONCLUSIONS: For FPs to contribute fully to a pandemic response, they must be factored into pandemic plans. Failure to appreciate their unique role and circumstances often leaves FPs feeling unsupported in both their professional and personal lives. Comprehensive planning in anticipation of future pandemics must consider FPs' varied responsibilities, health concerns, and necessary precautions. Having adequate personal and practice supports in place will facilitate the essential role of FPs in responding to a pandemic crisis while continuing to support their patients' primary care needs.

Care-seeking experiences of unattached patients in the Canadian health care system: Qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To understand how lack of attachment to a regular primary care provider influences patients' outlooks on primary care, ability to address their health care needs, and confidence in the health care system. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive study using semistructured interviews. SETTING: Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 18 years or older who were unattached or had become attached within 1 year of being interviewed and who resided in the province in which they were interviewed. METHODS: Forty-one semistructured interviews were conducted, during which participants were asked to describe how they had become unattached, their searches to find new primary care providers, their perceptions of and experiences with the centralized waiting list in their province, their experiences seeking care while unattached, and the impact of being unattached on their health and on their perceptions of the health care system. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic approach. MAIN FINDINGS: Two main themes were identified in interviews with unattached or recently attached patients: unmet needs of unattached patients and the impact of being unattached. Patients' perceived benefits of attachment included access to care, longitudinal relationships with health care providers, health history familiarity, and follow-up monitoring and care coordination. Being unattached was associated with negative effects on mental health, poor health outcomes, decreased confidence in the health care system, and greater pre-existing health inequities. CONCLUSION: Having a regular primary care provider is essential to having access to high-quality care and other health care services. Attachment also promotes health equity and confidence in the public health care system and has broader system-level, social, and policy implications.

Co-development of a national, bilingual, post-licensure accredited educational program for registered nurses in primary care: A knowledge-to-action exemplar.

Registered nurses' practice in primary care varies and is sometimes sub-optimal. To fill the gap in primary care-specific knowledge, we co-constructed a national educational program to reinforce the nursing workforce. We based our project on the knowledge-to-action approach. Many lessons were learned during the development phase: (1) The experiential knowledge of patient partners and stakeholders allows an education program based on real needs; (2) The development of a national education program requires high-intensity investment from all involved persons; (3) An in-person meeting at the beginning of the project enables robust discussions and optimal co-creation; and (4) In a country where two official languages are spoken, it's essential to create a safe environment and a translation infrastructure that allows everyone to express themselves in the language of their choice. Finally, other initiatives in healthcare education or professional practice improvement could leverage our findings to realize national-scale projects using knowledge creation approaches.

"There's nothing like a good crisis for innovation": a qualitative study of family physicians' experiences with virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Prior to the pandemic, Canada lagged behind other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in the uptake of virtual care. The onset of COVID-19, however, resulted in a near-universal shift to virtual primary care to minimise exposure risks. As jurisdictions enter a pandemic recovery phase, the balance between virtual and in-person visits is reverting, though it is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels. Our objective was to explore Canadian family physicians' perspectives on the rapid move to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic, to inform both future pandemic planning for primary care and the optimal integration of virtual care into the broader primary care context beyond the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 68 family physicians from four regions in Canada between October 2020 and June 2021. We used a purposeful, maximum variation sampling approach, continuing recruitment in each region until we reached saturation. Interviews with family physicians explored their roles and experiences during the pandemic, and the facilitators and barriers they encountered in continuing to support their patients through the pandemic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed for recurrent themes. RESULTS: We identified three prominent themes throughout participants' reflections on implementing virtual care: implementation and evolution of virtual modalities during the pandemic; facilitators and barriers to implementing virtual care; and virtual care in the future. While some family physicians had prior experience conducting remote assessments, most had to implement and adapt to virtual care abruptly as provinces limited in-person visits to essential and urgent care. As the pandemic progressed, initial forays into video-based consultations were frequently replaced by phone-based visits, while physicians also rebalanced the ratio of virtual to in-person visits. Medical record systems with integrated capacity for virtual visits, billing codes, supportive clinic teams, and longitudinal relationships with patients were facilitators in this rapid transition for family physicians, while the absence of these factors often posed barriers. CONCLUSION: Despite varied experiences and preferences related to virtual primary care, physicians felt that virtual visits should continue to be available beyond the pandemic but require clearer regulation and guidelines for its appropriate future use.

"I wish I had known what I was getting into": a qualitative study exploring the experiences of Canadians who study medicine abroad.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of Canadians are choosing to study medicine abroad (CSA); however, many CSA are not fully informed of the challenges that exist in returning to Canada to practice and relatively little information is known on the topic. This study explores CSA experiences in choosing to study abroad and their attempts to navigate a return to Canada to practice medicine. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with CSA who were attending medical school abroad, waiting to obtain or in a post-graduate residency program, or practicing in Canada. We asked participants about their decision to study medicine abroad and choice of school, medical school experiences, activities they engaged in to increase their likelihood of returning to Canada, perceived barriers and facilitators, and alternative plans if they were unable to return to Canada to practice. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Fourteen CSA participated in an interview. Expedited timelines (i.e., direct entry from high school) and a lack of competitiveness for medical school in Canada were the main justifications for CSAs' decision to study abroad and a number of key factors (e.g., location, reputation) influenced their choice of school. Participants reported not fully anticipating the challenges associated with obtaining residency in Canada. CSA relied upon a variety of informal and formal supports and employed numerous methods to increase their likelihood of returning to Canada. CONCLUSIONS: Studying medicine abroad remains a popular choice for Canadians; however, many trainees are unaware of the challenges associated with returning to Canada to practice. More information on this process as well as the quality of these medical schools is needed for Canadians considering this option.

An analysis of policies supporting the roles of family physicians in four regions in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Policy supports are needed to ensure that Family Physicians (FPs) can carry out pandemic-related roles. We conducted a document analysis in four regions in Canada to identify regulation, expenditure, and public ownership policies during the COVID-19 pandemic to support FP pandemic roles. Policies supported FP roles in five areas: FP leadership, Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC), provision of primary care services, COVID-19 vaccination, and redeployment. Public ownership polices were used to operate assessment, testing and vaccination, and influenza-like illness clinics and facilitate access to personal protective equipment. Expenditure policies were used to remunerate FPs for virtual care and carrying out COVID-19-related tasks. Regulatory policies were region-specific and used to enact and facilitate virtual care, build surge capacity, and enforce IPAC requirements. By matching FP roles to policy supports, the findings highlight different policy approaches for FPs in carrying out pandemic roles and will help to inform future pandemic preparedness.

The roles of family physicians during a pandemic.

Family physicians play important roles throughout all stages of a pandemic response; however, actionable descriptions outlining these roles are absent from current pandemic plans. Using a multiple case study design, we conducted a document analysis and interviewed 68 family physicians in four Canadian regions. We identified roles performed by family physicians in five distinct stages of pandemic response: pre-pandemic, phased closure and re-opening, acute care crisis, vaccination, and pandemic recovery. In addition to adopting public health guidance to ensure continued access to primary care services, family physicians were often expected to operationalize public health roles (eg, staffing assessment centres), modulate access to secondary/tertiary services, help provide surge capacity in acute care facilities, and enhance supports and outreach to vulnerable populations. Future pandemic plans should include family physicians in planning, explicitly incorporate family physician roles, and ensure needed resources are available to allow for an effective primary care response.

"At the mercy of some of the regulations": the impact of the residency match and return of service requirement on the early-career decisions of international medical graduates in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Return-of-service (ROS) agreements require international medical graduates (IMGs) who accept medical residency positions in Canada to practice in specified geographic areas following completion of training. However, few studies have examined how ROS agreements influence career decisions. We examined IMG resident and early-career family physicians' perceptions of the residency matching process, ROS requirements, and how these factors shaped their early career decisions. METHODS: As part of a larger project, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with early-career family physicians and family medicine residents in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia. We asked participants about their actual or intended practice characteristics (e.g., payment model, practice location) and factors shaping actual or intended practice (e.g., personal/professional influences, training experiences, policy environments). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and a thematic analysis approach was employed to identify recurring patterns and themes. RESULTS: For this study, we examined interview data from nine residents and 15 early-career physicians with ROS agreements. We identified three themes: IMGs strategically chose family medicine to increase the likelihood of obtaining a residency position; ROS agreements limited career choices; and ROS agreements delayed preferred practice choice (e.g., scope of practice and location) of an IMGs' early-career practice. CONCLUSIONS: The obligatory nature of ROS agreements influences IMG early-career choices, as they necessitate strategically tailoring practice intentions towards available residency positions. Existing analyses of IMGs' early-career practice choices neglect to distinguish between ROS and practice choices made independently of ROS requirements. Further research is needed to understand how ROS influences longer term practice patterns of IMGs in Canada.

Family physicians' perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on preventative care in primary care: findings from a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Health system disruptions, caused by unexpected emergencies such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and cybercrimes, impact the delivery of routine preventative care. As comprehensive care providers, family physicians (FPs) devote significant time to prevention. However, without emergency and pandemic plans in place in primary care, FPs face added barriers to prioritizing and sustaining preventative care when health systems are strained, which was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to describe FPs' experiences providing preventative care during the COVID-19 pandemic and their perceptions of the impacts of disrupted preventative care in primary care settings. METHODS: Using a qualitative descriptive approach, we conducted semistructured interviews with FPs across 4 provinces in Canada (i.e. Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, British Columbia) between October 2020 and June 2021 as part of a larger multiple case study. These interviews broadly explored the roles and responsibilities of FPs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews were coded thematically and codes from the larger study were analysed further using an iterative, phased process of thematic analysis. RESULTS: Interviews averaged 58 min in length (range 17-97 min) and FPs had a mean of 16.9 years of experience. We identified 4 major themes from interviews with FPs (n = 68): (i) lack of capacity and coordination across health systems, (ii) patient fear, (iii) impacts on patient care, and (iv) negative impacts on FPs. Physicians voiced concerns with managing patients' prevention needs when testing availability and coordination of services was limited. Early in the pandemic, patients were also missing or postponing their own primary care appointments. Change in the provision and coordination of routine preventative care had negative impacts on both patients and physicians, affecting disease incidence/progression, physician workload, and psychological wellbeing. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, upstream care efforts were impacted, and FPs were forced to reduce their provision of preventative care. FPs contribute direct insight to primary care delivery that can support pandemic planning to ensure preventative care is sustained during future emergencies.

Effectiveness of registered nurses on system outcomes in primary care: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Internationally, policy-makers and health administrators are seeking evidence to inform further integration and optimal utilization of registered nurses (RNs) within primary care teams. Although existing literature provides some information regarding RN contributions, further evidence on the impact of RNs towards quality and cost of care is necessary to demonstrate the contribution of this role on health system outcomes. In this study we synthesize international evidence on the effectiveness of RNs on care delivery and system-level outcomes in primary care. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Searches were conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, and Embase for published literature and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and MedNar for unpublished literature between 2019 and 2022 using relevant subject headings and keywords. Additional literature was identified through Google Scholar, websites, and reference lists of included articles. Studies were included if they measured effectiveness of a RN-led intervention (i.e., any care/activity performed by a primary care RN within the context of an independent or interdependent role) and reported outcomes of these interventions. Included studies were published in English; no date or location restrictions were applied. Risk of bias was assessed using the Integrated Quality Criteria for Review of Multiple Study Designs tool. Due to the heterogeneity of included studies, a narrative synthesis was undertaken. RESULTS: Seventeen articles were eligible for inclusion, with 11 examining system outcomes (e.g., cost, workload) and 15 reporting on outcomes related to care delivery (e.g., illness management, quality of smoking cessation support). The studies suggest that RN-led care may have an impact on outcomes, specifically in relation to the provision of medication management, patient triage, chronic disease management, sexual health, routine preventative care, health promotion/education, and self-management interventions (e.g. smoking cessation support). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that primary care RNs impact the delivery of quality primary care, and that RN-led care may complement and potentially enhance primary care delivered by other primary care providers. Ongoing evaluation in this area is important to further refine nursing scope of practice policy, determine the impact of RN-led care on outcomes, and inform improvements to primary care infrastructure and systems management to meet care needs. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION ID: PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews. 2018. ID= CRD42018090767 .

Effectiveness of registered nurses on patient outcomes in primary care: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Globally, registered nurses (RNs) are increasingly working in primary care interdisciplinary teams. Although existing literature provides some information about the contributions of RNs towards outcomes of care, further evidence on RN workforce contributions, specifically towards patient-level outcomes, is needed. This study synthesized evidence regarding the effectiveness of RNs on patient outcomes in primary care. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A comprehensive search of databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, Embase) was performed using applicable subject headings and keywords. Additional literature was identified through grey literature searches (ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, MedNar, Google Scholar, websites, reference lists of included articles). Quantitative studies measuring the effectiveness of a RN-led intervention (i.e., any care/activity performed by a primary care RN) that reported related outcomes were included. Articles were screened independently by two researchers and assessed for bias using the Integrated Quality Criteria for Review of Multiple Study Designs tool. A narrative synthesis was undertaken due to the heterogeneity in study designs, RN-led interventions, and outcome measures across included studies. RESULTS: Forty-six patient outcomes were identified across 23 studies. Outcomes were categorized in accordance with the PaRIS Conceptual Framework (patient-reported experience measures, patient-reported outcome measures, health behaviours) and an additional category added by the research team (biomarkers). Primary care RN-led interventions resulted in improvements within each outcome category, specifically with respect to weight loss, pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance, blood pressure and glycemic control, exercise self-efficacy, social activity, improved diet and physical activity levels, and reduced tobacco use. Patients reported high levels of satisfaction with RN-led care. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides evidence regarding the effectiveness of RNs on patient outcomes in primary care, specifically with respect to satisfaction, enablement, quality of life, self-efficacy, and improvements in health behaviours. Ongoing evaluation that accounts for primary care RNs' unique scope of practice and emphasizes the patient experience is necessary to optimize the delivery of patient-centered primary care. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION ID: PROSPERO: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. 2018. ID=CRD42 018090767 .

What does satisfaction with wait times mean to cancer patients?

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is an important element of quality improvement and patient-centered care, and is an indicator of the public's confidence in the health care system. Although shorter wait times are believed intuitively to lead to higher satisfaction, studies have demonstrated the importance of many other factors which contribute to patients' satisfaction with their wait time experiences. The current study explores the factors that shape patients' satisfaction with their overall wait times (i.e. from symptom to treatment). METHODS: We conducted qualitative interviews with 60 breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer patients to examine the reasons behind patients' satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their wait time experiences. We purposefully recruited satisfied and unsatisfied participants from our larger survey sample. Using a semi-structured interview guide, patients were asked about their wait time experiences and the reasons behind their (dis)satisfaction. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using a thematic approach. RESULTS: Patients' perceptions of satisfaction with wait times were influenced by three interrelated dimensions: the interpersonal skills of treating physicians (which included expressions/demonstrations of empathy and concern, quality of information exchange, accountability for errors), coordination (which included assistance navigating the health system, scheduling of appointments, sharing information between providers, coordination in scheduling appointments, and sharing of information ), and timeliness of care (which referred to providers' responsiveness to patients' symptoms, coverage during provider absences, and shared sense of urgency between patient and providers). Providers' willingness to "trouble shoot" and acknowledge errors/delays were particularly influential in patients' overall perception of their wait times. CONCLUSIONS: We described three dimensions of wait-related satisfaction: physicians' interpersonal skills, coordination of care, and timeliness of care, which are often interrelated and overlapping. Furthermore, while patients wait-related satisfaction was typically based on multiple interactions with different providers, positive or negative experiences with a single provider, often (but not always) the family physician, had a substantial impact on the overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with wait time experiences. The findings provide a conceptual basis for the development of validated instruments to measure wait time-related patient satisfaction.

Predictors of fat mass changes in response to aerobic exercise training in women.

Aerobic exercise training in women typically results in minimal fat loss, with considerable individual variability. We hypothesized that women with higher baseline body fat would lose more body fat in response to exercise training and that early fat loss would predict final fat loss. Eighty-one sedentary premenopausal women (age: 30.7 ± 7.8 years; height: 164.5 ± 7.4 cm; weight: 68.2 ± 16.4 kg; fat percent: 38.1 ± 8.8) underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after 12 weeks of supervised treadmill walking 3 days per week for 30 minutes at 70% of (Equation is included in full-text article.). Overall, women did not lose body weight or fat mass. However, considerable individual variability was observed for changes in body weight (-11.7 to +4.8 kg) and fat mass (-11.8 to +3.7 kg). Fifty-five women were classified as compensators and, as a group, gained fat mass (25.6 ± 11.1 kg to 26.1 ± 11.3 kg; p < 0.001). The strongest correlates of change in body fat at 12 weeks were change in body weight (r = 0.52) and fat mass (r = 0.48) at 4 weeks. Stepwise regression analysis that included change in body weight and body fat at 4 weeks and submaximal exercise energy expenditure yielded a prediction model that explained 37% of the variance in fat mass change (R = 0.37, p < 0.001). Change in body weight and fat mass at 4 weeks were moderate predictors of fat loss and may potentially be useful for identification of individuals who achieve less than expected weight loss or experience unintended fat gain in response to exercise training.

System-Based Interventions to Address Physician Burnout: A Qualitative Study of Canadian Family Physicians' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Medical professionals experienced high rates of burnout and moral distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Canada, burnout has been linked to a growing number of family physicians (FPs) leaving the workforce, increasing the number of patients without access to a regular doctor. This study explores the different factors that impacted FPs' experience with burnout and moral distress during the pandemic, with the goal of identifying system-based interventions aimed at supporting FP well-being and improving retention. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with FPs across four health regions in Canada. Participants were asked about the roles they assumed during different stages of the pandemic, and they were also encouraged to describe their well-being, including relevant supports and barriers. We used thematic analysis to examine themes relating to FP mental health and well-being. RESULTS: We interviewed 68 FPs across the four health regions. We identified two overarching themes related to moral distress and burnout: (1) inability to provide appropriate care, and (2) system-related stressors and buffers of burnout. FPs expressed concern about the quality of care their patients were able to receive during the pandemic, citing instances where pandemic restrictions limited their ability to access critical preventative and diagnostic services. Participants also described four factors that alleviated or exacerbated feelings of burnout, including: (1) workload, (2) payment model, (3) locum coverage, and (4) team and peer support. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic limited FPs' ability to provide quality care to patients, and contributed to increased moral distress and burnout. These findings highlight the importance of implementing system-wide interventions to improve FP well-being during public health emergencies. These could include the expansion of interprofessional team-based models of care, alternate remuneration models for primary care (ie, non-fee-for-service), organized locum programs, and the availability of short-term insurance programs to cover fixed practice operating costs.

"Technology has allowed us to do a lot more but it's not necessarily the panacea for everybody": Family physician perspectives on virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

INTRODUCTION: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian primary care practices rapidly adapted to provide care virtually. Most family physicians lacked prior training or expertise with virtual care. In the absence of formal guidance, they made individual decisions about in-person versus remote care based on clinical judgement, their longitudinal relationships with patients, and personal risk assessments. Our objective was to explore Canadian family physicians' perspectives on the strengths and limitations of virtual care implementation for their patient populations during the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for the integration of virtual care into broader primary care practice. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with family physicians working in four Canadian jurisdictions (Vancouver Coastal health region, British Columbia; Southwestern Ontario; the province of Nova Scotia; and Eastern Health region, Newfoundland and Labrador). We analyzed interview data using a structured applied thematic approach. RESULTS: We interviewed 68 family physicians and identified four distinct themes during our analysis related to experiences with and perspectives on virtual care: (1) changes in access to primary care; (2) quality and efficacy of care provided virtually; (3) patient and provider comfort with virtual modalities; and (4) necessary supports for virtual care moving forward. CONCLUSIONS: The move to virtual care enhanced access to care for select patients and was helpful for family physicians to better manage their panels. However, virtual care also created access challenges for some patients (e.g., people who are underhoused or living in areas without good phone or internet access) and for some types of care (e.g., care that required access to medical devices). Family physicians are optimistic about the ongoing integration of virtual care into broader primary care delivery, but guidance, regulations, and infrastructure investments are needed to ensure equitable access and to maximize quality of care.

Adapting care provision in family practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study exploring the impact of primary care reforms in four Canadian regions.

BACKGROUND: Over the past two decades, Canadian provinces and territories have introduced a series of primary care reforms in an attempt to improve access to and quality of primary care services, resulting in diverse organizational structures and practice models. We examine the impact of these reforms on family physicians' (FPs) ability to adapt their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the provision of routine primary care. METHODS: As part of a larger case study, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with FPs in four Canadian regions: British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. During the interviews, participants were asked about their personal and practice characteristics, the pandemic-related roles they performed over different stages of the pandemic, the facilitators and barriers they experienced in performing these roles, and potential roles FPs could have filled. Interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis approach was applied to identify recurring themes in the data. RESULTS: Sixty-eight FPs completed an interview across the four regions. Participants described five areas of primary care reform that impacted their ability to operate and provide care during the pandemic: funding models, electronic medical records (EMRs), integration with regional entities, interdisciplinary teams, and practice size. FPs in alternate funding models experienced fewer financial constraints than those in fee-for-service practices. EMR access enhanced FPs' ability to deliver virtual care, integration with regional entities improved access to personal protective equipment and technological support, and team-based models facilitated the implementation of infection prevention and control protocols. Lastly, larger group practices had capacity to ensure adequate staffing and cover additional costs, allowing FPs more time to devote to patient care. CONCLUSIONS: Recent primary care system reforms implemented in Canada enhanced FPs' ability to adapt to the uncertain and evolving environment of providing primary care during the pandemic. Our study highlights the importance of ongoing primary care reforms to enhance pandemic preparedness and advocates for further expansion of these reforms.

Redeployment Among Primary Care Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care nurses were often redeployed to areas outside of primary care to mitigate staffing shortages. Despite this, there is a scarcity of literature describing their perceptions of and experiences with redeployment during the pandemic. Objectives: This paper aims to: 1) describe the perspectives of primary care nurses with respect to redeployment, 2) discuss the opportunities/challenges associated with redeployment of primary care nurses, and 3) examine the nature (e.g., settings, activities) of redeployment by primary care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary care nurses (i.e., Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Licensed/Registered Practical Nurses), from four regions in Canada. These include the Interior, Island, and Vancouver Coastal Health regions in British Columbia; Ontario Health West region in Ontario; the province of Nova Scotia; and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Data related to redeployment were analyzed thematically. Results: Three overarching themes related to redeployment during the COVID-19 pandemic were identified: (1) Call to redeployment, (2) Redeployment as an opportunity/challenge, and (3) Scope of practice during redeployment. Primary care nurses across all regulatory designations reported variation in the process of redeployment within their jurisdiction (e.g., communication, policies/legislation), different opportunities and challenges that resulted from redeployment (e.g., scheduling flexibility, workload implications), and scope of practice implications (e.g., perceived threat to nursing license). The majority of nurses discussed experiences with redeployment being voluntary in nature, rather than mandated. Conclusions: Redeployment is a useful workforce strategy during public health emergencies; however, it requires a structured process and a decision-making approach that explicitly involves healthcare providers affected by redeployment. Primary care nurses ought only to be redeployed after other options are considered and arrangements made for the care of patients in their original practice area.

Perceptions of bias in the selection of international medical graduate residency applicants in Canada.

Background: In Canada, international medical graduates (IMG) consist of immigrant-IMG and previous Canadian citizens/permanent residents who attended medical school abroad (CSA). CSA are more likely to obtain a post-graduate residency position than immigrant-IMG and previous studies have suggested that the residency selection process favours CSA over immigrant-IMG. This study explored potential sources of bias in the residency program selection process. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with senior administrators of clinical assessment and post-graduate programs across Canada. We asked about perceptions of the background and preparation of CSA and immigrant-IMG, methods applicants use to improve likelihood of obtaining residency positions, and practices that may favour/discourage applicants. Interviews were transcribed and a constant comparative method was employed to identify recurring themes. Results: Of a potential 22 administrators, 12 (54.5%) completed interviews. Five key factors that may provide CSA with an advantage were: reputation of the applicant's medical school, recency of graduation, ability to complete undergraduate clinical placement in Canada, familiarity with Canadian culture, and interview performance. Conclusions: Although residency programs prioritize equitable selection, they may be constrained by policies designed to promote efficiencies and mitigate medico-legal risks that inadvertently advantage CSA. Identifying the factors behind these potential biases is needed to promote an equitable selection process.

Contexte: Parmi les diplômés internationaux en médecine (DIM) au Canada, il y a des diplômés immigrants et des citoyens ou des résidents canadiens qui ont fait leurs études de médecine à l'étranger (CEE). Ces derniers ont plus de chances d'obtenir un poste de résidence postdoctorale que les DIM immigrants. Des études montrent que le processus de sélection des résidents favorise les CEE au détriment des DIM immigrants. La présente étude explore les sources potentielles de biais dans le processus d'attribution des postes de résidence. Méthodes: Nous avons mené des entrevues semi-structurées avec les directeurs de programme d'évaluation clinique et de programmes de formation postdoctorale de tout le Canada. Nous les avons interrogés sur leurs perceptions quant au parcours et au niveau de préparation des CEE et des DIM immigrants, quant aux méthodes utilisées par les candidats pour augmenter leurs chances d'obtenir un poste de résidence et quant aux pratiques qui peuvent encourager ou décourager les candidats. Les entretiens ont été transcrits et une méthode de la comparaison constante a été employée pour identifier les thèmes récurrents. Résultats: Douze (54,5 %) des 22 gestionnaires sollicités ont participé aux entrevues. Les cinq facteurs clés susceptibles de procurer un avantage aux CEE sont : la réputation de la faculté de médecine où le candidat a obtenu son diplôme, la date récente d'obtention de ce dernier, la possibilité d'effectuer un stage clinique de premier cycle au Canada, la familiarité avec la culture canadienne et la performance à l'entrevue. Conclusions: Bien que la sélection équitable soit une priorité pour les programmes de résidence, ils doivent également respecter des politiques visant l'efficacité et l'atténuation des risques médico-légaux qui avantagent involontairement les CEE. Il faut déceler les facteurs qui sous-tendent ces biais potentiels pour renforcer le caractère équitable du processus de sélection.

Primary care nursing competencies in Canadian undergraduate nursing programs: A national cross-sectional survey.

AIM: To assess the extent to which Canadian undergraduate baccalaureate nursing programs have incorporated Canadian competencies for Registered Nurses in primary care into their curricula. BACKGROUND: Canadian competencies for Registered Nurses in primary care have several benefits, including their ability to inform primary care education in undergraduate nursing programs and to assist in building a robust primary care nursing workforce. DESIGN: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey of undergraduate baccalaureate nursing programs (n = 74). METHODS: The survey was conducted between April-May 2022. We used a modified version of the "Community Health Nurses' Continuing Education Needs Questionnaire". Respondents indicated their level of agreement on a 6-point Likert scale with 47 statements about the integration of the competencies in their program (1 = strongly disagree; 6 = strongly agree). RESULTS: The response rate was 51.4%. The overall mean across the six competency domains was 4.73 (SD 0.30). The mean scores of each domain ranged from 4.23 (SD 1.27) for Quality Assurance, Evaluation and Research to 5.17 (SD 0.95) for Communication. CONCLUSIONS: There are gaps in how these competencies are included in undergraduate education programs and opportunities to strengthen education for this growing workforce in Canada.