North East Valley DGP eNews

No 0833: September 18, 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/.
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In this issue:

Editorial                                           Making Clinical Audit Tool available to multiple users           

Aged Care                                       Dementia Awareness Week           

Professional Development               CPD events          

HMR                                                 Obstructive Sleep Apnoea  

Information Management                Problems with MD3 conversions, General Computer Tip, Medical Director Tips and New on the Web

Items of interest                               Guidelines for the Prevention of Infective Endocarditis, HopSCOTCH, Medicare Australia’s National Compliance Program, NEMICS newsletter, GP Network News

News for Practice Staff                    Diabetes Update for Practice Nurses, Practice Managers network meeting, Nurse Training Calendar, Australian Ophthalmic Nurses Association Conference, Nurse Pap Test Provider Seminar, Recruiting participants for a survey           

Positions vacant/wanted                     

Fun stuff                                              

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A Word from the Editor

Making Clinical Audit Tool available to multiple users

In many cases when we installed CAT it was on the C drive of a single PC and all extracts were saved only to that PC. You are however, able to save the extracts to the server and then access those extracts from any PC on the network

1.   On the C drive of the server create a folder called ClinicalAudit.

2.   Open Clinical Audit on your local PC and from the Edit menu select Preferences.

3.   Next to Extract Directory click on the Browse button and navigate your way to the ClinicalAudit folder on the server and then click OK (you may want to copy any previous extracts from the ClinicalAudit folder on your C drive to the ClinicalAudit folder on the server).

4.   You need to install CAT on the other computers. Instructions to do this are here. Make sure on the new installations you change the extract folder to the server as outlined in points 2-3 above.

If any of this is too difficult or daunting call Noel on 9496 4333 and he’ll help you.

 

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Aged Care

Dementia Awareness Week - 19 - 26 September 2008

From Alzheimer’s Australia - Nearly half of Australia’s adult population (48 per cent) are not aware that it’s possible to reduce the risk of getting dementia. On the basis of the report and the escalating costs of dementia we have called for national and state governments to include dementia on the health prevention agenda including allocating funding for community education to raise the awareness about dementia and risk reduction.

Alzheimer’s Australia website – What’s happening in Victoria.

Article – Dementia risk reduction (Better health Channel)

 

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CPD

Term 3 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

There is no lecture for the next 2 weeks. Term 4 program will commence on Tuesday 7th October

For full term 4 Tuesday lecture program click here

 

Austin Health - Division of Medicine Grand Round

Department of General Medicine - (Medical Unit 3) “To D or Not to D: A Bard’s Perspective”

Presentation by: General Medical Unit 3, Comments by Professor Ego Seeman

Wednesday 24th September, 12:10pm at John Lindell Lecture Theatre, Level 4, Lance Townsend Building, Opposite Medical Library - followed by lunch in Zeltner Hall at 1:00pm

 

Management of renal disease in general practice – in conjunction with Kidney Health Australia  

Three-night ALM. Speakers: 6 Nephrologists and one urologist  Northern Hospital

1.       CKD stage 3 (eGFR  30-59mL/min);

2.       Kidney disease in the elderly

3.       Haematuria and UTI

Thursdays 9, 16 & 23 October, 7:30-9:30pm. Refreshments from 6.45pm. At Northern Division Training Room. Enquiries to Jenny Gowan on 8480 4611. Application form.

 

St Vincent’s GP Education

GP Workshop in Skin Cancer Basic Techniques: a hands-on practical workshop at St. Vincent's Education Centre, 3rd Floor, Healy Wing, St. Vincent's.

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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HMR

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Also Making HMRs, RMMRs (Items 900, 903) work for your practices. Speakers: Dr Russell Goudge, La Trobe Medical Centre, Mr John Wooller, consultant pharmacist , Prof Louis Roller Monash University, and Dr Jenny Gowan, NDGP.

Wednesday 1 October, 7-9pm. Refreshments from 6:30pm. Main speaker 7.30pm. At Northern Division Training Room.

Enquiries to Jenny Gowan on 8480 4611. Application form.

 

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Information Management

Problems with MD3 conversions

With many practices now migrating to MD3 there are a few little problems arising, particularly with LetterWriter templates where the wrong letterhead appears. The simple solution is to find the letterhead you want (LetterWriter – File >Modify template >Letterhead) and resave it. This will fix the problem. Ring Noel if there is any confusion on this. Some of the Options also get “lost”. For example, a nurse is no longer able to view investigation results. To fix this select Tools > Options >Investigations and place a tick in the Display results to staff box. If you encounter any problems please don’t hesitate to contact Noel at the division. In one case all the selected options for a GP were “lost” and had to be redone. Such problems are an inconvenience but not too serious.

 

General Computer Tip - Creating an Autotext item

AutoText entries are standard pieces of text (or text and graphics) that you may need to type over and over again. Instead of retyping them you can create AutoText entries and quickly insert them with just a few keystrokes. Some common AutoText entries can be:

·         memo headings

·         signature lines

·         workplace name and address

·         standard notices

·         business logos

·         fax template

Creating and Using Autotext to insert your letterhead

1.   Create the letterhead for your practice.

2.   Highlight all the text of your letterhead

3.   From the Insert menu select AutoText and AutoText…

4.   Type in LH for the AutoText name and click on the Add button and then OK.

5.   Open a new document, type the name of the AutoText entry – LH and press <F3> – this will insert your letterhead.

 

This weeks IM problem - Finding all patients on a specific medication

Question: How do I generate a list of all patients on a specific medication?

Answer: This is part of the patient database search and we did this a few years ago to find all patients on Vioxx so we could send out a recall letter.

1. No patient record open:

·         MD2: Search >Databases

·         MD3: Search >Patient…

2. Under Drug/Condition click on the Currently taking drug radio button and type in the first few letters of the medication and select the drug from the drop down list.

3. Click on the Search button.

4. Once the search is complete print the list.

 

New on the Web

1. Term 4 Calendar of Events - Found under CPD Calendar of Events

2. Term 4 Tuesday Lecture Program – found under GP Tuesday Lecture Program

3. Practice Managers Network Meeting October 16 - found under CPD Calendar of Events

4.             MD templatesHoNOS Score Sheet (Mental Health) and Austin Health Neuroscience Laboratory Referral updated (Hospital referrals) - found under IM Resources – MD templates

 

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Items of Interest

Guidelines for the Prevention of Infective Endocarditis

New Australian guidelines for the prevention of infective endocarditis were published in July 2008. The guidelines were revised by a multidisciplinary group to reflect recent changes in international recommendations regarding antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis. The reasons for the changes are explored in this review and the implications for dental practice are discussed. The new guidelines can be found here

 

HopSCOTCH

This is a randomised trial of an innovative shared-care approach to managing obesity in 3-9 year-olds. GPs will share care with a specialist multidisciplinary team, supported by shared software. If you are interested in contributing to the development of the intervention, participating in the study, or would like more information, please contact Melinda Soós on (03) 8344 3392 or via msoos@unimelb.edu.au.

 

Medicare Australia’s National Compliance Program

Medicare Australia’s National Compliance Program 2008–09 report is now available.  The report outlines Medicare’s strategy for ensuring health provider billing compliance and includes an overview of the areas targeted.  For further information and to download the report, click here.

For information on Medicare Australia's compliance information sheets please see Medical Practitioner - Helpful Fact Sheets

 

North Eastern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer Service

For the latest newsletter from NEMICS - Spring 2008 click here.

 

GP Network News

The latest edition can be found here.

 

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News for Practice Staff

Diabetes Update for Busy Practice Nurses (only 25 places available at each session, you are welcome to attend both or just one which is of interest)

**TONIGHT** 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

 

Practice Managers network meeting – Better Practice Management – Thursday October 16th

This will be held at La Trobe Uni on the evening of Thursday October 16. The emphasis will be on building skills for practice managers and nurses – using the PEN Clinical Audit Tool and your practice management software to produce reports through business modelling processes. You are then able to present this information in graphical form to practice team meetings. [Application Form]

 

Nurse Training Calendar

General Practice Victoria’s practice nurse training calendar has two more education opportunities that attract the 50% subsidy.

1.   Chronic Condition Self Management for Health Professionals – run by Health Active Partners to be held in November 08

2.   Introduction to Health Coaching for Health Professionals - run by Health Coaching Australia to be held in October 08

For more information follow the Link to the Training Calendar

 

Australian Ophthalmic Nurses Association Conference

The Australian Ophthalmic Nurses Association, Victoria branch, will be having a conference at Melbourne Convention centre on Saturday, the 22nd of November.  GPs, practice nurses and Optometrists are welcome to attend.  The content includes Age related Macular Degeneration- medical and research updates, simple to understand language and pre, peri and post op care, as well as nurse practitioner role, nurse led clinic, community liaison role, quality of life and vision, endophthalmitis and innovations in corneal surgery. Early bird registration $160 ends 31st of October. To register or for more information go to http://www.aonavic.com.au/ or contact Pat Usher 99298333 pat.usher@eyeandear.org.au, or Pam Armstrong 9929 8186 president@aonavic.com.au

 

A professional development seminar for nurse Pap test providers working in and around Melbourne

PapScreen Victoria are holding their Professional Development Seminar in Melbourne on Thursday 9 October. Please see flyer. Please note: As limited places are available, this invitation only extends to nurses in the greater metro area

 

Recruiting participants for a survey on Education and Career Pathways in Primary Care Nursing

Dr Rhian Parker and Professor Helen Keleher of Monash University are conducting a pilot project on education and career pathways for primary care nurses. The project will seek the views of primary care nurses about what education and career pathways would be attractive to them to encourage them to stay in the primary care setting  If you are a nurse working in general practice or primary care, are you willing to spend 30 minutes completing an anonymous survey? Would you like to be one of 100 nurses who complete the survey to receive a $20 gift voucher? If you are willing to complete the survey please contact Rhian Parker on rhian.parker@med.monash.edu.au. AGPN is pleased to provide support for this exciting project.

 

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Positions vacant/wanted

Please note: only new ads, paid ads or resubmitted ads will be posted here. All other ads can be found on the website

 

Positions vacant

Doctors

Kensington Positions available: Part–time with flexible sessions (ongoing)

                                                  Locum – Part–time from Monday 29th Sept to Friday 14th Nov 08

Doutta Galla Community Health Service, Medical Clinic is seeking enthusiastic, compassionate, dedicated VR GPs to join our busy team in providing medical services to the community. In addition to general medicine other areas include Mental Health; Youth, Young Adults; Refugee and CALD communities. Supportive administrative staff, concentrate on quality medicine and the care of clients while others do your billing. Excellent nurse support: including clinical and CDM specialist, Community Health, Refugee Health and Mental Health Nurses on staff. Attractive salary including salary packaging or percentage of generated income. Research and special interests encouraged and supported. Enquires to Ms Janina De Silva on (03) 8378 1600 or email for a position description: janina.desilva@dgchs.org.au  

 

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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Humour

A Parking Spot

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking space. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord, take pity on me. If you find me a parking spot I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish whiskey"

Miraculously, a parking place appeared.

Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one." 

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