Telephone-Based Structured Communication Simulation Program for the Follow-Up of COVID-19 Cases and Contacts in Primary Care

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 25;19(7):3915. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19073915.

Abstract

(1) The COVID-19 pandemic has had many consequences on health systems worldwide. In the Spanish health system, telephone-based consultations were coupled to in-person consultations. This type of consultation was mainly a challenge for the primary care teams, who had to assume the greatest load of care provision. The objective of the present study was to discover the satisfaction and perception of health professionals related to a training program on efficient communication based on high-fidelity simulation. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study based on a convergent and parallel mixed method. The satisfaction and perception of 275 health professionals associated with COVID-19 training based on the structured communication model CERCAR© was analyzed. (3) Results: The assessment of the satisfaction with the training and methodology was high. With respect to the transfer of information, the participants gave a high score to the categories of consolidation of learning, applicability to their work, and benefits for the institution. The qualitative results supported these findings. (4) Conclusions: The training program and its virtual modality were well received, and had a high degree of transference. The application of active, online learning methodologies is a relevant format for continuous education.

Keywords: COVID-19; clinical simulation; communication training; primary care; telephone communication.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Communication
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Primary Health Care
  • Telephone