The Use of COVID-19 Mobile Apps in Connecting Patients with Primary Healthcare in 30 Countries: Eurodata Study
Authors: Gómez-Bravo Raquel , Ares-Blanco Sara , Gefaell Larrondo Ileana , Ramos Del Rio Lourdes , Adler Limor , Assenova Radost , Bakola Maria , Bayen Sabine , Brutskaya-Stempkovskaya Elena , Busneag Iliana-Carmen , Divjak Asja , Peña Maryher , Domeyer Philippe-Richard , Feldmane Sabine , Fitzgerald Louise , Gjorgjievski Dragan , Gómez-Johansson Mila , Hanževački Miroslav , Ilkov Oksana , Ivanna Shushman , Jandrić-Kočić Marijana , Karathanos Vasilis , Ücüncü Erva , Kirkovski Aleksandar , Knežević Snežana , Korkmaz Büsra , Kostić Milena , Krztoń-Królewiecka Anna , Kozlovska Liga , Lingner Heidrun , Murauskienė Liubovė , Nessler Katarzyna , Parodi López Naldy , Perjés Ábel , Petek Davorina , Petrazzuoli Ferdinando , Petricek Goranka , Sattler Martin , Seifert Bohumil , Serafini Alice , Sentker Theresa , Ticmane Gunta , Tiili Paula , Torzsa Péter , Valtonen Kirsi , Vaes Bert , Vinker Shlomo , Neves Ana , Guisado-Clavero Marina , Astier-Peña María , Hoffmann Kathryn 
Published: July 2024

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated changes in European healthcare systems, with a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases being managed on an outpatient basis in primary healthcare (PHC). To alleviate the burden on healthcare facilities, many European countries developed contact-tracing apps and symptom checkers to identify potential cases. As the pandemic evolved, the European Union introduced the Digital COVID-19 Certificate for travel, which relies on vaccination, recent recovery, or negative test results. However, the integration between these apps and PHC has not been thoroughly explored in Europe. Objective: To describe if governmental COVID-19 apps allowed COVID-19 patients to connect with PHC through their apps in Europe and to examine how the Digital COVID-19 Certificate was obtained. Methodology: Design and setting: Retrospective descriptive study in PHC in 30 European countries. An ad hoc, semi-structured questionnaire was developed to collect country-specific data on primary healthcare activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of information technology tools to support medical care from 15 March 2020 to 31 August 2021. Key informants belong to the WONCA Europe network (World Organization of Family Doctors). The data were collected from relevant and reliable official sources, such as governmental websites and guidelines. Main outcome measures: Patient’s first contact with health system, governmental COVID-19 app (name and function), Digital COVID-19 Certification, COVID-19 app connection with PHC. Results: Primary care was the first point of care for suspected COVID-19 patients in 28 countries, and 24 countries developed apps to complement classical medical care. The most frequently developed app was for tracing COVID-19 cases (24 countries), followed by the Digital COVID-19 Certificate app (17 countries). Bulgaria, Italy, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Romania had interoperability between PHC and COVID-19 apps, and Poland and Romania’s apps considered social needs. Conclusions: COVID-19 apps were widely created during the first pandemic year. Contact tracing was the most frequent function found in the registered apps. Connection with PHC was scarcely developed. In future pandemics, connections between health system levels should be guaranteed to develop and implement effective strategies for managing diseases.