No 0834: September 25, 2008
eNews is a weekly electronic newsletter sent to all GP practices
(with email addresses) within the
Editorial No eNews next week
Chronic Disease Management Medicare
Professional Development CPD events
HMR Obstructive
Sleep Apnoea
Immunisation Austin Travel and Tropical Medicine, NCIRS fact sheet, HPV vaccination notifications for processing and payment
Information
Management includes General Computer Tip, Medical
Director Tips and New on the Web
Items of interest Government dental scheme – latest
update, CBR Course, Austin Health Research Week, NEMICS Education Forum,
GP Network News, BECC waiting times
News for Practice
Staff Diabetes Update, Early Use of Insulin & Oral Antidiabetic
Drugs, Practice Managers network meeting
Paediatrics Updated factsheets for parents from the RCH
Women’s Health Paediatric and
Adolescent Gynaecology
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NB: There will be no eNews
next week – the editor is taking a well earned week off. Next edition will be
October 9, 2008.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medicare
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austin Health - Division
of Medicine Grand Round
Department of
Chemical Pathology - “Maladie Sans Médecins - A Tale
of Two Vampires”
Speaker: Dr Cherie
Chiang, Endocrinologist & Chemical Pathologist
Wednesday 1st October,
12:10pm
at John Lindell Lecture Theatre, Level 4,
Meetings are held each Tuesday starting at 12.30 in the
Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor,
There is no lecture next week.
Term 4 program will commence on October 7 - Epilepsy –
Management & Medication Update - Dr Mark Newton
For full term Tuesday lecture program click here
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Austin Hospital Infectious Disease Department,
has commenced a new clinical service, Austin Travel and Tropical Medicine.
The clinic will operate as a referral based service and will provide travellers
with access to a broad range of travel vaccines (including Yellow Fever
vaccine) and medications through the
· Zoster vaccine for Australian Adults. Information for immunisation service providers.
This fact sheet is now available from the NCIRS web site http://www.ncirs.usyd.edu.au/facts/f-fact_sheets.html.
Each eligible notification a GP lodges with the HPV Register attracts a $6.00 (GST exempt) incentive payment. To receive this payment you must:
1. Complete and fax in your General Practitioner Registration form which was sent to GPs in the letter dated 21/8/08. (a copy can be found at www.hpvregister.org.au/health-professionals/ )
2. Send your HPV notifications in the Reply-Paid envelopes enclosed. If you need more envelopes call 1800 478 734 (1800 HPV REG).
To help process your notification as promptly as possible please ensure your notifications are in one of the formats on the AGPN website www.agpn.com.au. You were also sent examples and instructions in the letter dated 21 August 2008 to help you with this.
Please ensure you record a GP
Medicare Provider number against each notification. We
are unable to pay notifications where you have recorded your ACIR practice
provider number.
If you need assistance please call the Register on 1800
478 734 between 8am – 6pm M-F or 9am-2pm Sat across
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also known as curing the dreaded capslock disease. Sometimes you accidently have the capslock key on and your text comes out as all capitals. Don’t be embarrassed, it happens to everyone. Don’t delete and then retype. Highlight the offending text and then press Shift + <F3> (make sure F Lock is on). This will toggle between all caps, lowercase and sentence case. Try it now!
Using the Data toolbar to add clinical/demographic information to a document is a very handy feature. You can toggle the display of the Data toolbar by pressing Control + D (or from the View menu select Data toolbar). However you can have the Data toolbar displayed when you open LetterWriter.
1. Open LetterWriter
2. From the File menu select Preferences…
3. Click on the Defaults tab and click in the Display Data toolbar? box.
The next time you open LetterWriter in a patient record the Data toolbar will be displayed.
Question: I have trialed a drug with a patient and now want to change that medication from limited (short term) to long term. Is there a short way to do this?
Answer: With the current medication list displayed, simply double click on the Dose, Frequency or Instructions (it doesn’t matter which one) of the drug concerned. Under Duration of medication click on the Long term radio button.
1. Austin & Northern Health Services for patients with prostate cancer - an A3 sheet explaining services provided, who can refer, how to refer and service location – see under Primary Care Support – CDM Resources
2. Updated MD templates –
GP Referral to a Lifestyle Modification Program - under the prevention of type 2 diabetes program Item 713
GP Referral to a
Lifestyle Modification Program combined - this is a combined referral for
use either in
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medicare dental items (Medicare items 85011-87777) are available for people with chronic conditions and complex care needs, on referral from a GP. Eligible patients can access up to $4,250 in Medicare benefits for dental services over two consecutive calendar years.
In line with its election
commitment, the Government planned to close the Medicare chronic disease dental
scheme to all patients by 1 July 2008, and to re-direct the savings to its new
dental programs (Commonwealth Dental Health Program and Medicare Teen Dental
Plan). However, on 19 June 2008, the Senate blocked the scheme’s closure. On 16
September 2008, the Senate blocked the Government’s second attempt to close the
scheme.
Therefore, the scheme remains open and
all eligible claims will be paid.
It remains the Government’s intention to close the scheme in order to make
funding available for its new dental programs, and the Government will continue
to negotiate with the Senate in an effort to achieve this. GP groups, dentists,
dental prosthetists and patients receiving services under the scheme will be
advised as soon as negotiations are complete.
Please see the DoHA
web site (updated 18 September 08), for more information.
DHS have announced one extra date in 2008 for the 'CBR (Chemical, Biological and
Radiological) for Health Services course'. This will be the last course
of the year and will take place on 22 & 23 October 08 at the
Full details including a downloadable map and registration are available from the DHS website: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/emergency/training_program/cbr_training
Tuesday 21 October - Lunchtime forum 12 – 1pm. Topic: Doctors doing research: why you should be one
Poster Defence Session of Group 1 categories 2.30 - 3.30pm
Wednesday 22 October - Austin Life Sciences Symposium 12.15 – 1.45pm
Thursday 23 October - Plenary session 1 – 2pm. Topic: The future of the Clinician Scientist:
Poster Defence Session of Group 2 categories 2.30pm - 3.30pm
For more details and full program click here or visit www.austin.org.au
NEMICS is presenting The Cancer Council of
Victoria's "Cancer Clinicians Communication Skills Program" on Wednesday
22nd October from 9am – 1.30pm.
Three workshops are being held:
·
Discussing
sexuality with cancer patients, their families and friends
·
Effectively
discussing complementary and alternative medicine
·
Eliciting
and responding to emotional cues (NB: This workshop is now FULL)
Each workshop will be taught by two Cancer Council accredited facilitators.
Please visit the ‘What’s New’ section of the NEMICS website www.nemics.org.au to download the flyers which will provide you with further session details.
RSVP by Wednesday 8th October to Jan.Townsend@austin.org.au or by
phone on 9469 3322.
The workshops are free of charge but places are limited.
The latest edition can be found here.
Waiting times for new referrals to Bundoora Extended Care Centre Inpatient Admissions are currently approximately Gem 0 days & Rehab 1 day. Any queries regarding our waiting times please contact Access BECC on 9495 3109
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
**TONIGHT** Session 2 (Follow up) Thursday 25th September Topics covered: Current Management of Diabetes, Medications, Self Management, Footcare, Practical session with Insulin Pens and Monofilaments. Session: 6.30pm – 9.00pm at John Scott Meeting House. To register download invitation
This workshop will provide education and training specifically around
evidence based best practice diabetes management. For further information
contact Janina or
telephone 9496 4333.
An NPS Case Study Evening for Practice Nurses Presented by Dr
Thursday
October 30th 7.30pm - 8.30pm. This session offers an opportunity to reaffirm
learning from previous diabetes sessions for nurses, an opportunity to discuss
current, independent, evidence-based information & we will provide useful
resources for yourself & your practice. For further information and to
register download invitation.
For more information on ‘Diabetes - resources for identifying and managing "at risk"
patients of developing type 2 Diabetes’ see the website
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]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated titles from Kids Health Info at the Royal Children’s Hospital include: ADHD - stimulant medication / Bedwetting / Colic / Febrile convulsions / Headaches in children and teenagers / Hypospadias / Migraine headache / Preparing your child for hospital / Respiratory syncytial virus / Threadworms.
See Kids Health Info: http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/factsheets.cfm also through Kids Connect (RCH Primary Care Liaison) www.rch.org.au/kidsconnect.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday
14th October 7-9pm (refreshments from 6.30pm) Presenters: Dr Paddy
Moore & Dr Melissa Cameron – Gynaecologists. At Lecture Theatre, Level 4,
RSVP: Merran McDonald on 8458 4833 or email mmcdonald@mercy.com.au or Janine Martin on 8458 4819. QA&CPD: 4 (Cat. 2) Women’s Health points applied for.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please
note: only new ads, paid ads or resubmitted ads will be posted here. All other
ads can be found on the website
Doctors
Austin Health - Hospital Primary Care Liaison Unit - Project
Officer. Temporary/Fixed
Term, Part time: 15-20hrs p/w. Period: October 2008 - 2009 (12 months)
An exciting opportunity exists for a motivated project worker with previous
experience in health or community services. This part-time position will
support the Austin Health and community sector interface by undertaking a range
of service improvement activities. Closing date: 3/10/2008. Enquiries to: Taya
Shevchenko, Director HPCLU. Tel: 03 9496 2961 Email: taya.shevchenko@austin.org.au.
Download a job description and apply on-line at www.austin.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.
Northcote – FT /PT VR GP or Subsequent Trainee GP position. Fully accredited, computerised, long established doctor owned practice in a new purpose built facility with a fabulous work environment. Ancillary Health, Pharmacy and Pathology services on site. Inquiries Diane Cronin (Practice Manager) 9481 1214. Visit our website www.doctorsofnorthcote.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A college class was told they had to write a short story in as few words as possible. The instructions were that the story had to contain the following three things:
1. Religion
2. Sex
3. Mystery
This was the only A+ short story in the entire class ………….
“Good God, I’m pregnant; I wonder who did it.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------