A qualitative examination of the experiences and perspectives of interprofessional primary health care teams in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccination in Ontario, Canada

by Rachelle Ashcroft, Catherine Donnelly, Peter Sheffield, Simon Lam, Connor Kemp, Keith Adamson, Judith Belle Brown

Background

Primary health care (PHC) teams contributed to all phases of the COVID-19 vaccination distribution. However, there has been criticism for not fully utilizing the expertise and infrastructure of PHC teams for vaccination distribution. Our study sought to understand the role PHC teams had in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario, Canada. The key objective informing this study was to explore the experiences and perspectives of interprofessional PHC teams in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccination across Ontario.

Methods

A qualitative approach was used for this study, which involved 39 participants from the six health regions of the province. Eight focus groups were conducted with a range of interprofessional healthcare providers, administrators, and staff working in PHC teams across Ontario. The sample reflected a diverse range of clinical, administrative, and leadership roles in PHC. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed, while transcriptions were then analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

We identified the following four themes in the data: i) PHC teams know their patients; ii) mobilizing team capacity for vaccination, iii) intersectoral collaborations, and iv) operational challenges.

Conclusions

PHC teams were an instrumental component in supporting COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario. The involvement of PHC in future vaccination efforts is key but requires additional resourcing and inclusion of PHC in decision-making. This will ensure provider well-being and maintain collaborations established during COVID-19 vaccination.