Features of the work of managers of outpatient and inpatient healthcare organizations in the Gomel region in the context of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective. To study the opinion of the managers of healthcare organizations (HOs) of the Gomel region on the specifics of the functioning of outpatient and inpatient HOs in the region in the context of the third wave of COVID-19 spread, the impact of the current situation on the delivery of health care to the population.Materials and methods. A survey of 96 managers of outpatient and inpatient HOs was conducted, the features of the work in the context of an increased COVID-19 incidence rate and associated difficulties were identified.Results. The vast majority of the surveyed managers of outpatient HOs (77.3%) are convinced that the professional qualifications of medical personnel in their institutions fully meet the requirements for the work with COVID-19 patients, while this belief is shared by less than half (46.7%) of the managers of inpatient ones. However, with such a high assessment of the staffing, the managers of outpatient HOs are experiencing a real shortage of personnel: only 10.6% of them responded that they had not experienced difficulties with staffing during their work in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 56.7% of the managers of inpatient HOs responded the same. This is probably why outpatient health care tier managers one and a half times more often noted a significant increase in the duration and intensity of the work of medical personnel during the pandemic than their colleagues from inpatient institutions (62.1 and 40%, respectively). But the opinion about the moral and psychological climate in teams practically coincides in both groups of the managers: deterioration in outpatient HOs was noted in 47% of cases, stability in inpatient ones - in 53.3% of cases. Also, in both the groups, the managers of HOs were satisfied with the normative documentation regulating the delivery of health care in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic (managers of outpatient HOs - 7.63 ± 1.35 points, managers of outpatient ones - 7.18 ± 1.92 out of maximum 10 points).Conclusion. The fight against the coronavirus has become a serious test for the healthcare system of the Republic of Belarus. The performed survey has revealed problematic issues that arose in the course of the professional activities of the managers of inpatient and outpatient HOs. According to the respondents, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in the duration and intensity of work. There were also difficulties related to carrying out the diagnostics, shortcomings in the interaction of medical personnel, etc.