North East Valley DGP eNews

No 0802: February 7, 2008
eNews is a weekly electronic newsletter sent to all GP practices (with email addresses) within the NEV catchment. The aim is to provide up to date information relevant to GPs and to disseminate the latest activities and resources from the division. All feedback and enquiries welcome and should be addressed to Patty Marshall. You can also visit our website at: http://www.nevdgp.org.au/.
To subscribe to eNews click on subscribe. To be removed from the eNews distribution list click on Unsubscribe

 

In this issue:

Editorial                                           New NEV staff member     

Aged Care                                       Dementia, Austin Fast Track X-ray service for aged care home residents

Chronic Disease Management         Neuropathy research                                

Professional Development               CPD events

HMR                                                 Questionnaire

Immunisation                                   Important changes to the Victorian Immunisation Schedule, 9th Edition Handbook, HPV Reminder

Information Management                includes Medical Director tips and New on the Web

Items of interest                               North East After Hours Clinic, Improving the annual health review for people with an intellectual disability

News for Practice Staff                    Ear Irrigation Training                     

NPS                                                 For Your Patients

Positions vacant/wanted                                                         

Fun stuff                                                          

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A Word from the Editor

New NEV staff member

The NEVDGP has employed Graeme Berry 3 days a fortnight to help in the roll out of both the Practice Health Atlas and the PEN tool. Some of you may know Graeme from interdivisional IM meetings as Graeme also works in Information Management at the Melbourne GP Network. Graeme will be introduced at the next Practice Managers/Nurse network meeting held in mid March.

 

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Aged Care

Dementia

Tuesday 12 February 6:30 – 9pm. Speaker - Assoc. Prof Michael Woodward, Head of Aged & Residential Care Department Austin Health. At Board Room - North East Valley DGP.  Contact: Clare Chiminello on 9496 4333. Application

 

Austin Fast Track X-ray service for aged care home residents

In collaboration with the NEVDGP, the Austin Hospital has developed a fast track X-ray service.  This service is for residents of aged care homes who require ambulance transport, whose clinical situation is non-urgent, who are expected to return to the aged care home for further management, and who require X-Ray (not CT scans or ultrasound). ACH residents brought in by non-urgent ambulance are “clocked in” at ED triage & given a UR number, then transported directly to an X-ray area, while the ambulance waits.

Click here to access the Fast Track Radiology Request Form, flowcharts on the process, and other relevant information.

 

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Chronic Disease Management

Neuropathy research

New research in a possible treatment for neuropathy associated with diabetes, using painless nerve stimulation. We are looking for patients to take part in a 12-week study. Inclusion criteria: • Between 55 – 75 years old • Have had diabetes for 10 years or less • Non-smokers • Peripheral neuropathy

The study takes place at the Endocrine Centre of Excellence, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital. For more information please contact Dr. Rajna Ogrin or Andrew Jardine on 9496 2986

 

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CPD

Dementia – for GPs – Board Room NEVDGP – Tues. Feb 12 See under Aged Care

Scanning solutions and PEN Clinical Audit – for GPs and Practice Managers - Moonee Valley Racecourse – Tues. Feb 19

Details and application forms can be found on the website under Calendar of Events.

 

Term 1 GP Lecture Program

Meetings are held each Tuesday starting at 12.30 in the Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, Pathology Building, Repatriation Hospital, Austin Health, West Heidelberg. Lunch is provided. Course Leader: Dr Vin Nursey Phone: 9457 1736

February 12 - Antihypertensive Drugs Update - Dr Adrianne Anderson

For full term Tuesday lecture program click here

 

The Sixth Meeting of Minds of Austin Health,

28-30 March 2008 - Bellinzona Grange Country Retreat, Hepburn Springs

We have been having an annual educational meeting called the Austin Meeting of Minds for some years.  As a first this year we plan to have a session running on Saturday from 10-4 pm on “Update in Therapeutics - why, who, when, what drug, how long” tailored to the practical needs of the general practitioner. There are no registration costs but lunch for the day is $25. To make this run we need to have the support of at least 20 registrants.

The program can be found here. If you are interested in attending would you please contact Mrs. Barbara Richmond on 9435 9353 phone/fax or email barbararichmond@bigpond.com   

 

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HMR

Item 900 Home Medicine Reviews

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing have called for submissions regarding the Home Medicines Review (HMR) Program. The Division will be preparing a short submission on particular issues that will add value to the program and requests your input. The submission has to be sent by Monday 18 February, therefore to enable us to collate your responses we request return of the questionnaire by Tues 12 February. Email to jenny.gowan@ndgp.org.au  or Fax to Jenny Gowan at 9416 7749  

 

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Immunisation

Important changes to the Victorian Immunisation Schedule affecting all babies, commencing March 1, 2008

North East Valley and Northern Divisions are collaborating on a set of information sessions on the significant changes to the Victorian immunisation program as from 1st March, 2008.

Session 1 will be on Tuesday, 19th February 2008 at ‘Rydges on Bell’commencing at 7.00pm and concluding at 9.00pm. (Refreshments will be served from 6.30pm)

Session 2 will be on Tuesday, 4th March, 2008 at the Repatriation Hospital in the Pathology lecture theatre. This session commences at 12.30pm

Detailed information for the February session has been circulated to practices by fax.

Attendance at the lunchtime session on 4th March is limited to around 30.

 

9th Edition Handbook

The 9th edition of the immunisation handbook is on its way!  We are hoping that it will be available in the next couple of months and have been assured by the Department of Health and Ageing that all providers will be sent a copy as soon as it is released.  If you do not receive one after it has been released please contact the division, your local state or territory health department or you can order on line at: www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/publications    

 

HPV Reminder

The funded HPV vaccine will be available for 18 to 26 year old women until June 30 2009.  As the course of the immunisation takes 6 months it is important to remind women in that age group to take advantage of the offer of the free vaccine as soon as possible.

 

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Information Management

Medical Director Tip - Adding a progress note shortcut when a GP authorises the RN to administer a vaccine

A GP should document when they authorize a PN to administer a vaccine, rather than just a verbal direction. This can be achieved by adding a Comment shortcut in the progress notes.

1.         Click on Progress Notes and select the Comment button.

2.         Click on the Add to list button and type in the following text:

 

Vaccine Authorisation:

I authorise on Duty RN Div 1 to access and administer the following vaccines to the above patient, today or at a later date in consultation and confirmation with me if required.

The use of Booster dose, standard course and accelerated course conforms with the Australian Immunisation Handbook Standards.

1.

2.

 

3.         For the shortcut type: #VA The click Save and Close.

Now all the GP has to do is open the progress notes, type in #VA followed by the spacebar and only type in the vaccine names.

 

This weeks IM problem

Question: How can one print a page of a list of specialists eg. Cardiologist. When we filter a category and then print, the whole address book prints. At previous practices where I worked, only the page on view, i.e. the specific list of specialists would be printed. We could then give it to the patient to make an appointment with the specialist of their choice. We contacted MD, but they say that it cannot be done!!!!

Answer: It can be done but it is a bit tortuous.

1.   Use the Filter by category button to select your specialists e.g. cardiolog – this picks up both cardiologist and cardiology from the address book or e.g. rheum – this picks up both rheumatology and rheumatologist

2.   Click on the Restore down button (between Minimise and Maximise buttons top right corner of the window).

3.   Resize the window so that only the selected specialists are showing.

4.   Press Alt + Print Screen buttons to take a snapshot of the active screen (make sure F Lock key is off, if the keyboard has one)

5.  Open Word and Paste (Control + V or Edit >Paste) – the specialists names, addresses and phone numbers will be displayed as a graphic. Resize the graphic if necessary, print and give to patient

 

New on the Web

1.   CPD calendar Term 1, 2008

      Includes:

          Dementia – Tuesday Feb 12

          Scanning Solutions and PEN Clinical Audit – Tuesday Feb 19

          Ear Irrigation Training – Saturday March 15         

      Found under Calendar of Events.

2.   PEN Clinical Audit – a selection of documents related to the roll out of the PEN Clinical Audit Tool. Found under Information Management – PEN Clinical Audit

3.   Austin Fast Track X-Ray service for residents of aged care homes.- found under Aged Care –Transfer to hospitals

 

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Items of Interest

North East After Hours Clinic

The new North East After Hours Clinic opened at the Austin Hospital last Tuesday to a steady stream of patients requiring non urgent medical care. Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive and support from hospital departments outstanding. Congratulations to all involved in setting up this new service. All enquires to Sadie Jaeschke - Practice Manager - on 9496 3627(BH):  

 

Improving the annual health review for people with an intellectual disability

The Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) is a health assessment, advocacy and education process that has been shown to improve health promotion, disease prevention, case finding and management activities for people with an intellectual disability in the general practice setting. The CHAP tool will now be completed as part of the annual health review for people with an intellectual disability living in Disability Services managed homes in the community and is supported by the introduction of two new MBS items (718 & 719). A resource kit on the use of these Medicare items and further information is available at www.health.gov.au/epc

 

GP Network news

This edition contains Latest AIHW Report Confirms Key Role of GPs Full version.

 

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News for Practice Staff

Ear Irrigation Training

Saturday March 15 for Practice Nurses at La Trobe uni. Details and application forms can be found on the website under Calendar of Events.

 

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NPS

For Your Patients

The summer edition of Medicines Talk is now available. Topics covered include: Going away?  Keeping your medicines cool; Not getting anywhere? Try another tack and Medicine use in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities. You may wish to download copies of these articles for your waiting room

 

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Positions vacant/wanted

Positions vacant

Doctors

Bulleen - The Clinic Bulleen requires a GP (VR) with a view. Dr Bryce Phillips AO, Rob Murdoch and Jane Froster are keen to find a suitable and committed doctor to join this long established and respected practice which is AGPAL Accredited and computerised. Please call the Practice Manager, Sue, on 0418 171 964.

 

Preston – full time/part time VR GP urgently required - long established traditional family owned accredited, computerised practice.  4+ sessions, negotiable, good conditions and friendly staff. Please ring Dr Tiet or Maria on 03 9470 3155.

 

Defence department - Fantastic permanent job opportunity for G.P. to work for defence department. Early starts and finishes. Excellent remuneration. For further enquiries please phone Bernadette 03 9279 3934 or email l-e-s@bigpond.com

 

Practice Staff

Macleod - Medical Practice looking for part time receptionist. Approximately 8-10 hours a week (2 afternoons). Please contact Practice manager Rhonda on 9459 8329 (mob 0431 594 822) or fax your CV to 9459 8328.

 

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Humour

The Year's Best Headlines of 2007:

(Yes, they were really printed as seen here.)

 1.  Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

 2.  Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

 3.  Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

 4.  Miners Refuse to Work after Death

 5.  Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

 6.  War Dims Hope for Peace

 7.  If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

 8.  Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

 9.  Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

10.  Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

11.  Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

12.  New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

13.  Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

14.  Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

15.  Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

16.  Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

And the winner is...

17.  Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

 

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