ED crowds are not GP patients
THE myth that emergency departments are overrun with general practice patients has been debunked by new Australian data.
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GPs
The following articles have the tag GPs
ED crowds are not GP patients
THE myth that emergency departments are overrun with general practice patients has been debunked by new Australian data.
Doctors back proof of vax law for childcare
LEGISLATION passed by the NSW lower house last week forcing childcare centres to exclude children without vaccination records or valid exemptions is supported by doctors and should lift vaccination rates, the AMA says.
Doctors back new vaccination law
LEGISLATION being introduced to the NSW parliament today to exclude children who don’t have vaccination records from childcare centres has the support of doctors and should lift immunisation rates, the AMA says.
Predicting muscular pain outcomes
THREE generic prognostic indicators of musculoskeletal pain, when combined with GPs’ own prognosis, can predict six-month outcomes in 69% of patients, research shows.
GPs more cautious diagnosticians
GPs are more conscientious and approach diagnoses more cautiously than psychiatrists, according to research being presented at a Sydney conference this week.
When make-believe mirrors real life
IF HE hadn’t been “so busy playing golf”, Brisbane GP Dr Christian Rowan would have remembered to fill in the advance healthcare directive for his Jehovah’s Witness patient, thereby averting an ethical crisis over transfusion at the local hospital.
Online mood disorder tool gives vital info
AN AUSTRALIAN-developed online mood disorders diagnostic tool can elicit vital information from patients and encourage disclosure of symptoms, according to analysis of data from 16,000 users.
Online mood tool a time-saver for GPs
AN AUSTRALIAN-developed online mood disorders diagnostic tool can elicit vital information from patients and encourage disclosure of symptoms, according to analysis of data from 16,000 users.
E-health tour goes on the road
AUSTRALIA'S chief clinical adviser on e-health has been touring the country to discuss the beleaguered electronic medical records program with GPs, with a message for those who have had problems using the system.
GPs, practice nurses demand training for Healthy Kids screening
GPs and practice nurses are appealing for specialist training in order to perform the controversial new social and emotional development component of the Healthy Kids Check for three-year-olds, research shows.
GPs join in to fight overdiagnosis
A GROWING global movement to combat overdiagnosis is finding resonance with GPs, according to leading Australian campaigners.
Brits too polite to waste doctors’ time
THE well-known reserve of the British means individuals tend to stay out of people’s way. Unfortunately for them, this ‘courtesy’ seems to extend to doctors.
Fresh criticism on Australia’s weather approach
DOCTORS have once again raised the alarm about ‘fundamental gaps’ in Australia’s ability to manage the health effects of extreme weather arising from climate change.
Caution urged on tracking of addictive drug prescriptions
A NATIONAL system to track addictive drug prescriptions might reduce overprescribing but could lead to unintended consequences, experts say.
Renewed calls for e-PIP extension
MANY GPs could lose their eligibility for the e-health Practice Incentive Program (e-PIP) unless the 1 February deadline for software compliance is extended, says the AMA.
GPs remain under pressure to prescribe antibiotics for URTIs
GPs are still being pressured by patients to provide antibiotic prescriptions for upper respiratory tract infections, according to NPS data released today to mark global Antibiotic Awareness Week.
Dental scheme end takes pressure off GPs: AMA
HEALTH Minister Tanya Plibersek has rejected claims dental patients must wait a year between the end of one dental scheme and the start of another as the AMA said the new system would ultimately ease pressures on GPs.
Concern at surge in patient aggression
ALARMING new figures on the number of Australian doctors experiencing aggression at work have sparked calls for specialised training for the most vulnerable groups.
Plibersek warns CDDS plunge could hit patients' pockets
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek has warned people joining a last minute rush for the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme (CDDS) may be left with big bills if their treatment is not finished by the program’s last day.
Older patients benefit from GPs getting depression education
EDUCATION and support for GPs in management of depression can lead to improved outcomes for older patients, an Australian study shows.
Hambleton doles out advice to fix primary health
AMA president Dr Steve Hambleton accused the federal government of “insulting” rather than “consulting” GPs and provided an eight-point plan to fix primary health care in a press club speech yesterday.
Concern about poor uptake of contraceptive implants and devices
A LACK of familiarity among GPs with inserting and removing intrauterine devices and implants - or medico-legal concerns - may be factors behind their low uptake in Australia, an analysis suggests.
RACGP slams healthcare study
A GROUNDBREAKING study finding that only 57% of healthcare encounters in Australia result in appropriate care has been slammed by a GP representative as “highly inflammatory”.
Physical health check call for severely mentally ill
GPs have backed a senior mental health campaigner who has called for MBS rebates for physical health checks for patients with severe mental illness.
Physical health check call for severely mentally ill
GPs have backed a senior mental health campaigner who has called for MBS rebates for physical health checks for patients with severe mental illness.
PNIP brings success to general practices
SUCCESS stories are beginning to emerge among practices that have embraced the Practice Nurse Incentive Payment (PNIP), with one group GP practice projecting their earnings could rise by as much as 1000%.
GPs missing out on palliative care training
A THIRD of GPs report receiving no undergraduate palliative care training and a similar number feel they are not knowledgeable enough to deal with patients asking about the end of life, new research shows.
Over-75s may face MBA performance testing
GPs would be subject to mandatory, age-based performance testing if the Medical Board of Australia decides to start testing doctors over the age of 75, MBA chair Dr Joanna Flynn said.
Online lung function predictor for COPD patients
A NEW interactive online tool will allow GPs to show patients with COPD how their lung function could improve if they stop smoking.
GPs an afterthought in pandemic flu response
GPs were left dazed and confused as Australian health officials scrambled to respond to the 2009 swine flu pandemic, a review has acknowledged.
Barriers for GPs in cancer treatment
GPs embrace their role in cancer detection and prevention but are less keen to be involved in treatment or post-operative management, research shows.
GP costs reduced through photos
USING telemedicine for dermatology consultations in general practice effectively reduces specialist referral rates and costs, a Dutch study suggests.
Dismay at drug company push for govt subsidy
A DRUG company push to enlist doctors and patients into pressuring the federal government to subsidise the warfarin alternative dabigatran has been branded “appalling” and “inappropriate”.
New solutions: for an old problem
Go straight to the Productivity Commission's recommendations on general practice for older Australians DR MIKE Birrell has spent a lot of his general practice career working in aged care. First he spent more than two decades in Port Macquarie, NSW, looking after 150 seniors living in residential facilities and, more recently in south Melbourne and St Kilda, he has visited more than 60 older people weekly. But Dr Birrell says GPs like himself who tend to seniors definitely don’t do it for financial gain. “If you were an economically ...
Beckoning GPs to the bush
GPs are harder to find in the bush than a double decaf soy latte, but incoming ACRRM president Professor Richard Murray is optimistic about the future. “We are working right now in a system that is really stacked against rural generalist medicine, and in which there is a severe geographic maldistribution of services and maldistribution according to need,” Professor Murray says. “But there is also probably a once-in-a-generation or more opportunity for change [and] the bush has a lot to teach the city.” Professor Murray, who is set to take up the presidency next month, comes ...
Govt too busy making other plans for GPs
CUTTING the rebates for mental health plans once again brings into sharp focus the way in which the medical profession is led by the government. Rebates for plans complicate the work of most family GPs, but for a few they are a Godsend staving off an impecunious demise. The back-referral has confronted nearly every GP. Psychologists would probably win the race for sending patients to their GP for a referral to unlock Medicare rebates. Dentists would be a close second. It seems that these days everyone needs a psychologist. There are many who would agree that ...
Doctors divided over fairest pay model
A DEBATE in the MJA over whether doctors should be “hawking their wares among the populace for a fee” or taking a “social service” approach via a salary has divided general practice experts on the best model of pay for GPs. Obstetrician Dr Brian Peat argued in the MJA that it would be “simple to change the current balance” in Australia by rolling back “the more outrageous subsidies” like the private health insurance rebate and the safety net, and directing the savings into more salaried positions. AMA Victoria past president Dr Douglas Travis argued against the salaried ...
Training wish granted for child health checks
THE government will give practice nurses and GPs the opportunity to upskill before introducing the updated child health checks, it has been revealed. A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Ageing said it would look at how it could support health professionals when changing the timing of the checks to age three from the current age of four. APNA, the RACGP and the AMA expressed concern that practice nurses and GPs did not have the skills to carry out the new emotional wellbeing and development check ( Primary Care Nurse, June 2011 ). An expert ...
Bulk-billing rises in the east, falls in the west
AUSTRALIA’S eastern states are leading the charge when it comes to a rising rate of GP bulk-billing, according to the latest figures released by the Federal Government. GP bulk-billing rose 0.4% from the December quarter to 80.2% nationwide – just shy of the record 80.8% reached in 1996, the statistics reveal. But the rise was not part of a national trend, with GP bulk-billing in WA, ACT and Tasmania falling in the March quarter. In the three months to 31 March, Medicare paid a total of $4 billion in benefits for 78.7 million individual services – ...
GPs support bowel cancer program
DESPITE its troubles, Australia’s bowel screening program has been voted by GPs as the single most effective recent government preventive health strategy. A Medical Observer survey of 491 GPs found 82% believed the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) had the greatest impact on patient outcomes, ahead of practice nurse MBS items (75%) and chronic disease management plans (74%). Professor Ian Olver, chief executive of Cancer Council Australia, hailed the support for the partially implemented program as impressive, and surprising given its limited reach. “It tells us what a tragedy it is that the ...
11 variables predict who will choose GP career
AGE, relationship status, volunteer work and having friends or family practising medicine are among a list of 11 characteristics that researchers say can be used to predict whether or not a medical student will pursue a career in general practice. According to a Canadian survey of nearly 200 students, the biggest predictor that a student will choose general practice is an expressed desire to do so on entry to medical school – however, other factors are also said to play a part. Older students and those in a long-term relationship were more likely to choose general practice, ...
UK GP salaries fall for third year
FOR the third year in a row GP salaries have taken a nose dive in the UK, falling to £105,300 ($172,000) before tax, the latest figures for 2008-09 show. According to a National Health Service (NHS) report, gross earnings for GP partners had risen to £258,600 ($422,000). However, this was confounded by the increased costs of running a practice, which rose by 5% during the year. Doctors practising in Wales were the hardest hit, with their average income decreasing by 2.9%, to £97,700 ($160,000). Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the British Medical Association’s GPs committee, said ...
McGorry mental health plan gains momentum
GPs are getting behind the latest plea for action on mental health, backing a new five-point plan from Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry. Speaking at the National Press Club last week, Professor McGorry called on the Federal Government to end the “medical apartheid” between mental and physical health and set a national target for suicide prevention. He outlined a plan to focus on leadership, funding, access, skills and standards.GPs across Australia welcomed the advocacy, provided the plan would recognise the key role of general practice. Brisbane GP Dr Andrew Gunn, a senior lecturer in ...
Recent rise in asthma deaths remains unexplained
AN unexpected spike in asthma deaths, revealed in recent figures, has prompted calls for extra vigilance for signs of exacerbation in elderly patients. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found the number of deaths due to asthma in 2006 was unusually high, with signs the trend continued in 2007. More than 92% of the 402 asthma deaths in 2006 were aged 45 years and older, with many associated with co-morbidities such as COPD or acute respiratory infections. “The recent rise in deaths due to asthma after a sustained drop from 1995-2005 needs further study, ...
HIV education to support GPs in managing patients
THE Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) last week outlined plans to take national a pilot project that promises to provide GPs with better information and support in managing HIV-positive patients, along with strengthened links to local HIV specialists. The project is currently underway in NSW and Western Australia. The scheme provides doctors with a web link on HIV pathology reports and directs GPs to detailed information on clinical management, legal responsibilities and contact tracing. Laboratories will also offer GPs access to a local ASHM doctor who can discuss treatment options and provide tips on counselling patients. ...
A battle for the aged
There’s a desperate need for more GPs in aged care, but the obstacles to working in the sector are complex. Jodie Thomson reports. AFTER a day of back-to-back patients, you finally escape the surgery and drive 20 minutes to see a patient at a nearby residential aged-care facility (RACF). It’s only 6 pm, but the door is locked and no-one answers. Ten minutes later, after several calls on your mobile phone, a staff member lets you in, but it’s another 15 minutes before you find your patient (asleep in the ...
Avoiding court report pitfalls
Preparing medico-legal reports for court cases can be a minefield for GPs. How do you tread carefully and avoid the common traps when a report request lobs into your in-tray? Leigh Parry reports. LATE last year Victorian magistrate Rodney Crisp took a curious swipe at the medical profession after hearing a morning of drink- and drug-driving cases. When one man tried to have his licence returned after he was picked up for driving under the influence of the benzodiazepine flunitrazepam, Mr Crisp said he was sceptical of the medical advice the man might ...
Improved aftercare needed following suicide attempts
A program that enables GPs to access specialist services for patients at risk of suicide or self-harm should be expanded, according to a leading mental health charity, as new figures reveal a significant number of vulnerable patients are not receiving the help they need. SANE Australia last week published the results of an online survey, which showed that of the 285 anonymous respondents, just 43% of those who had self-harmed or attempted suicide had been offered psychological treatment afterwards. And only 20% had been provided with a crisis plan to follow if they felt suicidal in the future. ...
Online risk assessment will help predict female familial cancer risk
A NEW online tool has been developed to assist GPs in identifying women at higher-than-average risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer. Experts at the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC) have developed an algorithm for assessing the probability that a woman may have an inherited mutation and require referral to a family cancer centre. The tool is designed so that a decision can be made based on a maximum of eight questions that collect information about both sides of the patient’s family, NBOCC chief executive officer Dr Helen Zorbas said. The answers might also help ...
Back pain care out of step with evidence
PATIENTS with lower back pain are not receiving best practice care, and a key issue could be their expectation that treatment should involve strong analgesia and investigations such as x-rays. An Australian study examining care provided by GPs in 3533 patient visits for a new episode of low back pain found many were not receiving care in line with evidence-based guidelines. More than a quarter of the patients were referred for imaging, despite this being discouraged by guidelines, the authors found. Only one in five patients received advice and 18% received simple analgesics, despite both ...
Plan for pathologist role in test selection
A PROPOSAL by the Federal government that would see pathologists play a greater role in determining which tests doctors order has been cautiously welcomed by GP groups. As part of a review of pathology funding, the Medical Benefits Reviews Task Group suggested inappropriate tests could be reduced by encouraging doctors to consult with pathologists before requesting tests. Such consultations – which would attract an MBS fee for the pathologist – could also lead to better patient outcomes. Dr Nick Demediuk, RACGP pathology spokesman, said bridging the gap between the disciplines could be beneficial, provided it did not ...
Doubts cast over funding of GP-based INR testing
AS data continues to emerge from the government-funded point-of-care testing (PoCT) trial, a top government advisor has cast doubt over the likelihood of future MBS funded INR tests in general practice. The latest figures from the PoCT trial, published in Pathology, shows GP INR testing was comparable to lab tests over six months in a sample of 417 patients from 26 general practices. Dr Caroline Laurence (PhD), senior research fellow at the University of Adelaide and member of the trial management group, said the study only reaffirmed safety and accuracy of INR PoCT in the short term. ...
Primary care reform needs $830m kickstart: AGPN
THE Federal Government needs to make a “critical down-payment” on general practice with $830 million in infrastructure grants to fund health reforms, according to the AGPN. As part of its 2010-11 federal Budget submission, the network has restated previous calls from United General Practice Australia for the Government to invest $530 million in general practice. A further $300 million is also needed to help practices transform into comprehensive primary health care centres as proposed by the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, the AGPN submission claims. Practices would be able to apply for tax-exempt grants ...
Pharmacists reject nurse-led clinics
AS FRESH disputes over in-pharmacy nurse practitioner clinics erupt in the ACT, pharmacists are joining GPs in opposing stand-alone nurse practitioner-led clinics in pharmacies. Renewed concerns regarding the Revive chain of nurse practitioner clinics have been raised by the ACT Division of General Practice (ACTDGP) following ACT Health’s decision to approve five pharmacy-based nurse practitioner positions in the territory. The five positions will be located at a Revive pharmacy clinic in Tuggeranong. Revive brokered a deal with some pharmacies last year to co-locate pharmacy and nursing services. Pharmacies housing Revive nurse clinics will be re-badged as Healthetc. ...
GPs best for smoking cessation
A SPECIFIC MBS item number should be created so GPs can carry out detailed smoking cessation interventions, including motivational interviewing, an Australian expert says. Associate Professor Renee Bittoun, head of the Smoking Cessation Unit at the Brain & Mind and Research Institute at the University of Sydney, was commenting on a Cochrane Review released last week, that showed motivational interviewing techniques for smoking cessation were most effective when delivered by GPs. The reviewers found motivational interviewing was three times more effective when it was conducted by a GP compared to nurses, counsellors or pscyh-ologists. However, the ...
Push to remove tax burden from rural grants program
RURAL doctors have urged the Rudd Government to rework its rural infrastructure grant program so GPs can access funding without facing major tax bills. Announced in the 2009-10 Budget, the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program provides $46 million over four years to improve GP access to funding for essential health infrastructure, equipment and service planning. However, RDAA CEO Steve Sant said many rural practices had been discouraged from applying for the grants – worth up to $500,000 – due to the tax component, which the RDAA has estimated is set at a rate ...
Deciphering the new employee award
A new staff award is creating major headaches for GPs and practice managers before it even comes into force. Rosemarie Milsom reports. WHEN practice management consultant David Dahm recently contacted the Fair Work hotline with a query, he received an unexpected response. “The woman said, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you because we still haven’t had training in that area’,” Mr Dahm recalls. “It goes to show what people are up against in trying to understand the new system.” The ‘new system’ is prescribed in the Federal Government’s Fair Work Act, which has replaced ...
Stress snapshot
How are GPs coping? Helen Signy finds out. WINTER 2009: surgeries are flooded with patients thinking they have swine flu, the global financial crisis is making practice management more challenging, and the Government’s plans for primary care are leaving GPs feeling uncertain and undervalued. If you’re feeling more stressed than ever, you’re not alone. The MO Stress Test , an exclusive Medical Observer survey of nearly 500 GPs conducted by Julie Dang & Associates, found more than 50% reported worrying stress levels, with 4% saying their stress was unmanageable. And things ...
Clearer targets
Specialists and allied health workers may be about to feel the heat under plans to broaden the net of the Professional Services Review. Pamela Wilson reports. LIKE the outer rings of a bullseye, GPs have long been an easy mark for the Professional Services Review (PSR). But the red centre that is specialists – and, soon, allied health practitioners – is about to get a lot bigger. The vast majority of practitioners called into question by Medicare Australia and the PSR are GPs, simply because as a group their billing practices are easier to ...
Two-thirds of mental health cases untreated
NEARLY two-thirds of Australians with mental disorders are missing out on medical care, despite the billions of dollars committed to mental health by successive governments. Findings from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing reveal that almost half the 8841 Australians (aged 16-85 years) surveyed had experienced a mental disorder, with one in five having a mental disorder in the preceding 12 months. Despite these numbers, only 34% of those with a mental disorder had used services for mental health problems in the previous 12 months. “Despite the substantial impact of mental disorders on ...
Aussie patients give GPs glowing praise
PATIENTS have given Australian GPs a massive vote of confidence, with more than 99% saying they are fully satisfied with the care and services they receive. Data collected from more than one million patients over a decade showed satisfaction was unaffected by the introduction of changes such as accreditation. Patients attending 3554 practices completed the RACGP-designed Patient Participation Program survey between 1994 and 2003. It canvassed them on a range of topics, including interaction with their GP, accessibility of care, and the range of services provided by the practice. When patients were asked a single question ...
It's official: patients trust GPs most
DOCTORS can take heart at two Australian studies which reveal patients view their GPs as the most trustworthy health professionals, and are more than satisfied with their level of care. According to a survey by researchers at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology, patients place more trust in their GPs than specialists, awarding them a mean score of 4.1 out of five, compared to the specialists’ 3.8. Both groups, however, significantly outranked alternative health professionals who – despite enjoying growing popularity with patients – were ranked the least trustworthy, with a score of just 2.8. ...