Primary Care in a Public Health Emergency: Lessons from the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most profound public health crisis of our lifetime. It has disrupted society and made it clear that our health is determined by a web of interdependent factors influenced by health care, public health, government agencies, businesses, and community-based organizations. Primary care teams were on the front lines from the very beginning and showed up in countless ways, never closing. The unique role of primary care teams during COVID-19 are discussed in this text as well as the impact of the pandemic on these individuals who have dedicated their lives to providing valuable care to their communities.

As the pandemic aftermath lingers on, primary care has been forever changed. Many experts predict that primary care is on the brink of collapse. What can be done to save it? Further, what can be done to strengthen primary care’s vital role in our nation’s health care system, so that it is ready to keep our communities healthy during the next pandemic? In this book, front line primary care teams and health care leaders share personal experiences and advice grounded in reflections on a generation-defining pandemic.

This text is organized in four main parts. The first part focuses on voices from the front lines. The second part discusses the primary care medical home. The third part spotlights primary care team management. The final section centers on policy implications.

Written by experts in the field, Primary Care in a Public Health Emergency, is a valuable resource for primary care teams, community leaders, educators, researchers, and policymakers. While there is voluminous literature about health system transformation, this volume is focused on reviving primary care and building back resiliency after a global crisis.

Anthony Cheng, M.D.
Department of Family Medicine
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd.
Mail code: FM
Portland, OR 97239

Jennifer E. DeVoe, M.D., D.Phil.
Department of Family Medicine
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd.
Mail code: FM
Portland, OR 97239

Lauren S. Hughes, MD, MPH, MSc, MHCDS
Department of Family Medicine
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Farley Health Policy Center
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Anschutz Health Sciences Building
1890 North Revere Court, Suite 4141, Box L603
Aurora, CO 80045