metricas
covid
Buscar en
Atención Primaria
Toda la web
Inicio Atención Primaria Specific healthcare services for the paediatric population during the COVID-19 p...
Información de la revista
Vol. 55. Núm. 9.
(septiembre 2023)
Compartir
Compartir
Descargar PDF
Más opciones de artículo
Visitas
1026
Vol. 55. Núm. 9.
(septiembre 2023)
Scientific letter
Acceso a texto completo
Specific healthcare services for the paediatric population during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Balearic Islands (Spain)
Servicios específicos de atención sanitaria para población pediátrica durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en Baleares (España)
Visitas
1026
Patricia Lorente-Montalvoa,b,d,1,
Autor para correspondencia
plorentem@gmail.com

Corresponding author.
, Margarita A. Cañellasc,e, Eugenia Carandelle, Magdalena Estevab
a Primary Health Care Research Unit, Balearic Public Health Service (Ib-Salut), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
b Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
c Paediatric Service, University Hospital Son Llàtzer, Balearic Public Health Service, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
d Faculty of Medicine, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
e Directorate of General Health Service, Balearic Public Health Service (Ib-Salut), Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
Este artículo ha recibido
Información del artículo
Texto completo
Bibliografía
Descargar PDF
Estadísticas
Tablas (1)
Table 1. Visits at Kid-COVID clinics and telephone calls received by the InfoCOVID Paediatric call centre from September 2020 to April 2021.
Texto completo

The strategies of control of COVID-19 infection before the introduction of vaccines could be attributed to the early diagnosis of infected people, identification of risk factors and isolation of possible cases. Thus, specific services were created in different countries for people who were possibly infected in order to redirect people with fever or respiratory symptoms away from primary care (PC) and emergency departments (ED) to protect uninfected individuals and to provide diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care to patients with COVID-19 in a separate setting.1–4 This approach also provided continuity of usual care to the uninfected population and prevented infection of healthcare workers in PC and ED.5 In the Balearic Islands because of schools reopening, it was planned to reinforce healthcare services in areas with high densities of children, and this prompted the establishment of specific services.6 This manuscript describes the activities of two COVID-19 specific services for the paediatric population. The InfoCOVID Paediatric call centre was created to provide information about COVID-19 to families, school members, and contacts of children with suspected COVID-19. Families could also obtain an appointment with a paediatrician at a healthcare centre or at a Kid-COVID unit. It was attended by healthcare technicians, specialists in emergency call centres. The clinical status of a potential patient was assessed by phone with a questionnaire of severity of symptoms. Patients with signs of clinical instability were referred by phone to an emergency medical service for immediate evaluation. Children with underlying pathologies and considered at risk for complications were immediately referred to their PC paediatrician. The 3 Kid-COVID Majorca centres were temporary clinics established outside hospitals to care for possible COVID-19 cases and contacts (3–15-years-old). Each clinic had 5 stations. In order to optimize safety and the use of protective equipment, each station had a different structure (room and equipment) with specific functions and staffed by different professionals. A single companion was allowed for children younger than 15-years-old. Station A was the admission area where an administrator checked patient's data, entered data into their electronic clinical records, and assigned appropriate professionals to attend them using a QR code. Station B, where an auxiliary nurse recorded patient's vital signs (weight, temperature, and oxygen saturation). Station C attended by a paediatrician or a General Practitioner (GP) who recorded additional information, performed a physical examination and, if necessary, requested a PCR test or other tests and administered symptomatic treatment. The physician referred the child to a paediatric hospital emergency service if more complex investigations were required. Station D was attended by 2 nurses who managed the administrative work related to testing, collecting samples or administration of prescribed treatment, and gave guidance about patient care and isolation measures. Station E was the discharge area where an administrator scheduled an appointment for telephone reporting tests results and clinical follow-up. The InfoCOVID Paediatric call centre in the Balearic Islands received 18,914 telephone calls from September 2020 to April 2021, 6.9% of all calls related to COVID-19 for patients of all ages. During the same period the Kid-COVID clinics, displayed 4017 visits with nurses and 3803 visits with paediatricians or GPs. A total of 3764 PCR tests were performed and 2237 of them (59.4%) were positive (Table 1). Nearly 99% of the patients received the test results by telephone from their usual PC paediatric team. In conclusion, InfoCOVID call centre and the Kid-COVID clinics provided information, testing and other services to control the spread of COVID-19 in children. These services allowed other hospital healthcare units and PC to continue with their usual activities without compromising the safety of patients and professionals.

Table 1.

Visits at Kid-COVID clinics and telephone calls received by the InfoCOVID Paediatric call centre from September 2020 to April 2021.

Location  Professional  Monthly visited children September 2020–April 2021Total 
    Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr   
KC INCANurse  –  40  111  110  115  184  155  72  787 
Paediatrician/GP  –  42  114  107  103  139  136  69  710 
KC PALACIONurse  84  562  323  162  142  243  363  142  2021 
Paediatrician/GP  83  572  326  160  138  208  344  134  1965 
KC SON DURETANurse  –  192  251  181  249  336  –  –  1209 
Paediatrician/GP  –  197  250  189  214  278  –  –  1128 
Total KC167  1605  1375  909  961  1388  998  417  11,068 
InfoCOVID Paediatric call centre2817  3607  2851  3047  3098  1661  1057  776  18,914 
Source: Health Service of the Balearic Islands. Observatory of data.
Ethical considerations

Ethical approval was not sought because the analyzed data comprised information routinely collected by health services overseen by the Regional Health Service Observatory. This information is always completely anonymized.

Funding

Balearic Public Health Service.

English edition fees: Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to the people who collaborated in this project.

References
[1]
J. Desborough, S. Hall Dykgraaf, L. de Toca, S. Davis, L. Roberts, C. Kelaher, et al.
Australia's national COVID-19 primary care response.
Med J Aust, 213 (2020), pp. 104-1060
[2]
M.R. Kidd.
Five principles for pandemic preparedness: lessons from the Australian COVID-19 primary care response.
Br J Gen Pract, 70 (2020), pp. 316-317
[3]
J.J. Baugh, B.J. Yun, E. Searle, A. Chyn, J.M. Bernhardt, K. LeClair, et al.
Creating a COVID-19 surge clinic to offload the emergency department.
Am J Emerg Med, 38 (2020), pp. 1535-1537
[4]
Sussex National Health Service (NHS): infection prevention and control. Primary care covid-19 hot hubs and home visiting guidance; 2020 April. Available from: http://www.sussexccgs.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Primary-Care-Covid-19-hot-hubs-and-home-visiting-guidance.pdf [accessed 10.8.20].
[5]
COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in COVID-19 transmission, 6 August 2020. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020. Available from: www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/children-and-school-settings-covid-19-transmission [accessed 8.8.20].
[6]
Servicio de Salud de las Islas Baleares. Protocolo de uso de los dispositivos asistenciales pediátricos para la COVID-19. INFOCOVID Pediátrico, Kid-COVID y EduCOVID: Relación de los centros educativos con el Servicio de Salud de las Islas Baleares. Palma; 2020. ISBN 978-84-09-24789-9.

Office of Quality of Health Care and Patient Safety, Balearic Islands Health Service (Ib-Salut), Reina Esclaramunda n9, 07005 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain.

Copyright © 2023. The Authors
Descargar PDF
Opciones de artículo
es en pt

¿Es usted profesional sanitario apto para prescribir o dispensar medicamentos?

Are you a health professional able to prescribe or dispense drugs?

Você é um profissional de saúde habilitado a prescrever ou dispensar medicamentos