No 0831: September 4, 2008
eNews is a weekly electronic newsletter
sent to all GP practices (with email addresses) within the
Editorial If a doctor is served with a subpoena, what are their obligations?
Professional Development CPD events
Immunisation Additional information required on the vaccine order form for vaccine supply, Whooping Cough and Diabetes Targeted by New PBS Listings
Information
Management Clinical
Audit Tool upgrade, also includes
General Computer Tip, Medical Director Tips and New on the Web
Items of
interest Free
Access to Gym! Private Practice Expo, GP Network News
Mental Health Dementia
Awareness Week 19-26 September, Health Review Newsletter
News for
Practice Staff Diabetes Update for
Busy Practice Nurses
Paediatrics School Exclusion Table
Women’s Health Contraception: Update and Current Options, Family Planning Victoria e_Update
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You may have noticed that the Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA) and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) are using the court subpoena process to obtain documents before a trial commences so as to inspect the contents. The following is information you may find useful when responding to such requests from the VWA and/or TAC.
Do I have to comply?
Yes - once a subpoena has been served, the person upon whom it has been served is obliged to comply with its terms. Although rarely exercised, the Court can issue a warrant on a person neglecting or avoiding service of a subpoena. However, an objection to produce documents can be raised with the Court. The Court has the power to set aside a subpoena if any of the material sought is irrelevant, oppressive, an abuse of process of court or privileged.
How long do I have to comply?
The subpoena will generally have stamped upon it a Return Date (the date the documents must be supplied to the court), which is 21 days after the Court has issued the subpoena. The records must be provided before this date. If the subpoena cannot be complied with within time, agreement can be reached with the party issuing the subpoena (generally the VWA or TAC), to agree to a time extension for the production of the documents.
Can I be paid?
Yes - attached to the subpoena will be a cheque for Conduct Money. This is historically defined as the ‘reasonable expenses’ of a witness. The expenses incurred are payable by the party who issues the subpoena (generally, the VWA or TAC).
For free additional information on the Court Subpoena Process or any other legal issue, please call Maurice Blackburn on 1800 810 812.
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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
September 9 – Contraception: Update and Current Options - Dr Paddy Moore
For full term Tuesday lecture program click here
Austin Health - Division
of Medicine Grand Round
Department
of General Medicine - (Medical Unit 2): “Even When the Heart Stops Beating,
It’s Still Bleeding”
Speakers:
Dr Clement Lo (Medical 2 Registrar); Dr Chris O’Callaghan (General Medicine
Physician); Dr Paul Gow (Gastroenterologist); Dr Mark
Horrigan (Cardiologist) & Dr David Story
(Anaesthetist)
Wednesday 10th September, 12:10pm at John Lindell
Lecture Theatre, Level 4,
GP Workshop in Skin Cancer Basic Techniques: a hands-on practical workshop
at St. Vincent's Education Centre, 3rd Floor, Healy Wing,
Saturday, October 25th 2008, 8.45am - 4.15pm Learning Objectives: Punch biopsy, shave biopsy, excisional biopsy, cryotherapy, curettage & diathermy, simple ellipses, topical treatments including photodynamic therapy. Strictly 26 places only, so get in early.
Accommodation deal available at Metropole Apartments for rural GPs and/or families.
Contact: Juliet Gavens on 9288 4781 or Juliet.gavens@svhm.org.au
See www.svhm.org.au/gp for detailed flyer, program & accommodation offer.
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To ensure the lawful supply of vaccines for the National Immunisation Program under the drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 and Regulations 2006, additional information is required on the vaccine order form. This information will assist the vaccine distributor (CSL Logistics) to carry out the required checks prior to supply of a vaccine order
· The GP’s name, Victorian registration number (not provider number) and signature. Only one GP name can be accepted per DHS account number. This GP is responsible for all vaccines stored and administered at the site and relevant record keeping.
Copies of the new form can be downloaded from www.nevdgp.org.au then click on program support / immunisation / resources.
From 1 September 2008, the liquid form of clarithromycin will be available on the Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of pertussis
or ‘whooping cough’, and for atypical Mycobacterium infections. An additional
brand of blood glucose tests strips for diabetics will also be added to the PBS.
The listing of the liquid form of clarithromycin (Klacid®) will offer patients more choice of treatment for pertussis and infections caused by mycobacteria,
and in particular will help patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets.
The tablet form is already PBS-listed. The listing of an additional brand of
blood glucose test strips (On-Call Plus®) will offer more options to people
with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Over one million Australians currently have
diabetes. No additional cost is expected for the PBS as the test strips will
serve existing patients. Click here
to read the full media release.
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The new version will appear on Monday September 8 and will include 3 new features.
1. New Immunisation Tab - reports for Influenza, Pneumococcal, HPV (Gardisil) and Pertussis.
2. Summary Report - this new report provides an instant snapshot of practice data quality across most of the graphs provided
3. Cross-Tabulation – this is very exciting!!! A cross tabulation report will provide the ability to find patients who appear on more than one graph.
All of these are more fully explained and with graphic examples in the September 3 PenPals Newsletter found on the website and emailed to PCAT users on Wednesday. The PENpals Newsletter also explains how to set up Clinical Audit on the server so multiple users can access the data extracts.
Rather than emailing an attachment for a colleague to look at and perhaps modify it is better to provide a link to the document. This overcomes the problem of multiple versions of the same document existing in an organisation or group.
In Word type in: You will find my document here:
Highlight the word “here” and from the Insert menu select Hyperlink… (or Control + K) and then navigate your way to the document. Once you find the document double click on it. This will close the Insert Hyperlink dialogue box and the word here will now be a link to your document.
Note:
1. You can also hyperlink webpages, email addresses and even a place in a single document.
2. This method works in many other programs besides Word: Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher all work as well.
Before creating a referral you should check the past history and see which items are summary items (i.e. they will have a “Yes” in the summary column). A quick way of checking what the summary list will look like in the referral go to the Summaries menu and select Limited History. If there are too many or not enough items go back to the Past History and edit the appropriate history item.
Question: We have been downloading results since 2003, but not correctly. We have a large volume of "No Action" results in the file. We are hoping to start dealing with results correctly with participation from the doctors. My question is, is there any way of clearing the Investigation results file other than manually marking each result as “Notified”?
Answer: The answer is Yes, but why bother. There is no need to fix up the “No Action” results other than opportunistically as there is no medical or legal imperative to do so. Just leave them there. It is the “Discuss” and the “Urgent” results that need to be followed up and always marked as “Notified”.
1. PenPals Newsletter No 4 – Found under Information Management – Pen Clinical Audit.
2. Vaccine Order Form – Victorian Government (DHS) Funded Vaccine Order Form - this form should be used for all vaccine orders. Found under Immunisation - Resources
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Austin Health and
Victorian GPs, specialists, practice managers and Doctors in Training can
register now to attend the 5th Private Practice Expo (PPE 08), the most
comprehensive showcase of local products and services for medical practices, to
be held at
Latest edition available at Full version.
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Help promote this important event which this year focuses on ‘Mind Your Mind’
and reducing risk factors for Dementia. Use this week to help our research in
GP dementia services. For further details contact Dr Fiona Millard at fiona.millard@jcu.edu.au or visit
Mackay Division of General Practice website at www.mackaydgp.com/events.php
The September 2008 edition of the Mental Health Review newsletter can be
found here.
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Session 1 (Introductory) Thursday 18th September Topics covered: What is diabetes, possible complications, MBS Item Numbers (including new item numbers), Diabetes Annual Cycle of Care, Use of Medical Director and the PEN Clinical Audit Tool, Self Monitoring and Practical Sessions with Glucometers.
Session 2 (Follow up) Thursday 25th September Topics covered: Current Management of Diabetes, Medications, Self Management, Footcare, Practical session with Insulin Pens and Monofilaments
Both sessions: 6.30pm – 9.00pm at John Scott Meeting House. To register download invitation
These workshops will provide education and training specifically around evidence
based best practice diabetes management. Please note that these two sessions
are one week apart. For further information contact Janina
or telephone 9496 4333.
For more information
on ‘Diabetes - resources for
identifying
and managing "at risk" patients of developing type 2 Diabetes’
see the website
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The DHS ‘school exclusion table’ is useful for GPs and the public as it indicates the minimum period of exclusion from schools and children’s services centres for children following and during an infectious disease. Exclusion from schools for infectious diseases
Kids Connect (RCH Primary Care Liaison) www.rch.org.au/kidsconnect
Kids Health Info (RCH factsheets for parents) www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo
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See under CPD – Tuesday lecture
Family Planning’s e_Update aims to inform you and your organisation of current issues surrounding sexual and reproductive health, as well as events and happenings at FPV. FPV e_Update is distributed three times per year and if you wish to subscribe send an email to e_update@fpv.org.au with the word “subscribe’” in the subject heading from the address you would like e_Update sent to. All previous e_Updates are available at www.fpv.org.au
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Please
note: only new ads, paid ads or resubmitted ads will be posted here. All other
ads can be found on the website
Doctors
Ivanhoe Medical Clinic - sessions for PT or FT VR GP. Modern, large group with supportive colleagues and full time nurses, computerised, CDMs, mixed billing, flexible, friendly, no A/H, good remuneration. Contact Dr.Stephen Smith or Dr.David Doig on 03 9499 1245.
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Want to get even more frustrated? Click the ball and it does change colour. Take it slow!
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