The prime focus of our practice is the provision of primary care, otherwise known as general practice.  We provide all aspects of primary care for individuals and families, from when a patient is conceived right through all stages of life.  There are many ways in which primary care is delivered including: A patient presents to the GP with a specific issue requiring medical attention The GP uses a patient visit as an opportunity to review known medical conditions and provide care as indicated Preventative medicine where the GP will screen patients for common conditions in accordance with national health guidelines A patient has a known chronic condition that requires regular follow up and monitoring through our patient recall system If your condition requires specialist attention, our doctors have a wide local network of specialists, as well an in depth knowledge of metropolitan specialists if the service is not locally available.  We also have a network of local allied health providers that we work closely with in delivering holistic patient care.  A number of our doctors also work with specialists in the local hospitals and have advanced knowledge and experience beyond primary care. Whole of life continuity of care Continuity of care is an important principle in primary care.  Your GP is your first point of contact for all non-emergency medical issues and it is your GP that coordinates all of your medical care.  Inevitably there are times when specialists and allied health professionals are required to deliver the necessary care, but your GP is the central point that brings all of your care together from day to day.   Primary Care is one of the few specialties where the doctor has a relationship with patients through long periods in their lifespan.  It is not unusual to hear a patient lament that the doctor that delivered them as babies, and managed their care into adulthood and then delivered their babies, is retiring.  This continuity is an important part of general practice because an intimate knowledge or your medical issues, your life and your family is invaluable in providing the ultimate life-long medical care.  We know that from time to time your preferred doctor will not be available and our practice systems allow our other doctors to access your care plans and medical notes to achieve this continuity of care. Chronic condition management and care planning Chronic conditions are loosely defined as those conditions that a patient will be expected to have for 6 months or more.  In a lot of instances these will be conditions that are managed, as opposed to cured, so as to minimise their effect on the patient into the future.  Our doctors and nurses are all skilled and experienced in the management of chronic conditions.  Regular monitoring and medical intervention when indicated is achieved via the process of care planning.  If you have a chronic condition your GP will often discuss your “Care Plan” with you.   Your care plan will be reviewed every 3 months to assess your condition(s) against the goals set out in your care plan. It will be renewed every 2 years, or annually if there is any major changes in your condition or treatment.  Patients that are on a care plan are entitled to access a Medicare rebate on 5 visits to an allied health professional every 12 months.  Allied health includes services such as physiotherapy, podiatry, exercise physiology and dieticians, to name a few.  Your doctor may suggest referral to these professionals as part of the holistic care of your chronic condition. There are other scheduled reviews for specific conditions such as asthma, allergies and diabetes that your GP will conduct if you have these conditions.  Preventative Health Preventative health is the means by which common conditions are identified and treated at the earliest opportunity.  There are many conditions that can be identified before they begin to cause symptoms through preventative health screening.  This is the process of screening at risk populations for identifiable diseases or conditions that benefit from early treatment.  This can be as simple as taking your blood pressure at a visit to the GP. Examples of other preventative health measures are: Annual blood tests for over 40s looking at blood glucose, cholesterol levels and markers of organ function Mammograms Cervical screening test Faecal occult blood testing for over 50s (the bowel cancer screening kit) Annual full skin checks Extended Primary Care visits, which are an annual health check for people 75 years old and over.  Click for more information. A 45-49yo diabetes health check Annual full health checks for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander patients as part of the Closing the Gap initiative Chronic Condition Care Plans Over 75yo Annual Health Assessments An annual health assessment for people aged 75 and over is provided for under the Medicare Benefits Schedule to assess a person’s health and physical, psychological and social function. This allows any health care or medical concerns of the patient or that are identified as part of the assessment, to be addressed in a timely manner.  This is a comprehensive assessment including: A check that preventative health measures such as annual blood tests and cancer screening are up to date  Medication review Immunisation check Physical functioning including activities of daily living Mental health – mood and cognitive function Requirement for services This is a great way of providing continuity of care and is offered to all of our patients that are 75 and over regardless of their state of health.  If you are 75 or over you, will be contacted each year by one of our practice nurses to offer you an assessment.  If you wish to access the service the nurse will organise a time to visit you at home and conduct the initial assessment.  You will then be booked in with your GP for 30 minutes to complete the assessment. GP Extended Primary Care Plans for chronic conditions Often referred to as simply a GP Care Plan, this a plan that is provided … Continue reading General Practice