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PCP Survey Finds Patient Vaccine Distrust High, Health Issues More Complex
Grace Halsey
A majority of primary care clinicians report their patients worry about COVID-19 vaccine side effects and the speed of vaccine development. Most do plan to be vaccinated themselves.
Just 5% of primary care clinicians are required by their employer to get the new COVID-19 vaccine, but the majority (89%) responding to a recent survey said they will voluntarily get the vaccine when it becomes available.
Among other results of the Primary Care & COVID-19: Round 24 Survey, primary care clinicians noted that many patients are hesitant to receive the vaccine and don't trust vaccine information from a variety of sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The survey, conducted December 11-15, 2020, by the Primary Care Collaborative, in partnership with the Larry A. Green Center, also found primary care clinicians continuing to manage staff absences and PPE shortages while patient visits become more complex and take more time.
Top line results follow in our slide show.
PCPs welcome vaccine rollout. 61% say their practice expects to offer the vaccine when it is available to them…but <1 in 4 say the practice is prepared for the logistics of providing the vaccine.
PCPs say patient needs are increasing. 62% report more complex patient visits; 46% say visits are longer; 62% say it is harder to secure mental health appointments despite the need growing quickly; and, 44% note an increase in number of patients struggling to afford/pick up medications.
But, mental strain, staff shortages, resource deserts persist. 91% report at least 1 form of professional/support staff shortage (illness, quarantine, redeployed) ; 77% report staff, 60% report clinicians out due to illness/quarantine; 23% continue to feel unsafe due to lack or low volume of PPE; 17% still lack testing supplies.
PCPs: Expertise in vaccination, but few set up for COVID-19. 34% have adequate staff to administer COVID-19 vaccine; 1 in 5 cannot pay for vaccine/storage; 23% know the source of vaccine they will receive; 20% know how it will be stored.
PCPs note hesitancy among their patients to receive vaccine. 87% report patients are worried about unknown side effects; 76% say patients worry that vaccines were developed much too quickly to be safe; ~45% of clinicians think their patients will be receptive to receiving the vaccine.