No 0918: May 27, 2009
eNews is a weekly electronic newsletter
sent to all GP practices (with email addresses) within the
Editorial Going green and being on the cutting edge of technology
Professional Development CPD events
HMR Osteoporosis
- best management
Immunisation Latest Swine Flu News, Immunisation Encounter Error, Gardasil reminder
Information
Management Clinical Audit
Tool – new website, General Computer
Tip, Medical Director Tips and New on the Web
Items of
interest Reminder: Urgent Outpatient Referrals, Support for
Bereaved Parents and Siblings, North Eastern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer
Service Forum, Assistance with implementing EPC items, GP Network News,
BECC waiting times
Mental Health Mental
Health Program for GP Health, Upcoming Changes to Mental Health Item Numbers
News for
Practice Staff Treating Symptoms of
Dementia
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to pressure from our very active practice managers, invitations to education events will now have a paperless option, i.e. you will be able to submit by email, rather than printing and faxing. This green approach will save a lot of paper!!
The first form to do this will be the invitation to the next IM meeting at
La Trobe called “The Cutting Edge” where the main event is a presentation by Dr
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Anton
Knieriemen will showcase the Doctors
Control Panel, for MD and Best Practice. He writes: “I am passionate about
preventive care and change principles. I leverage the software that I create to
implement change in the way I practice medicine. A feedback loop for
improvement has emerged. With better information access and workflow
improvements new opportunities for innovation have arisen.”
MIA Victoria
will show the technology whereby you can view streamed radiology images on your
PC. And last and definitely least a quick demonstration by the division’s IM
officer of a 3G modem card combined with remote access.
Don’t just take
my word for it, others are just as enthusiastic about
the Doctors Control Panel:
Cool
Tools – article by Dr Tony Lembke (Collaboratives)
Keeping
it Simple – article on the DCP by
Doctors Control Panel Homepage –
read all about it and download for free and if you like it, make a donation to Unicef or a charity of your
choice.
Application
Form here.
Meetings are held each Tuesday starting at 12.30 in the Lecture
Theatre, Ground Floor,
June 2 - Management
of Dyslipidaemias - Dr Omar Farouque
For full term Tuesday lecture program click here
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday 3 June 6.30 pm for 7pm start at John Scott Meeting Room,
RSVP Cherry Braine 9416
7689. HMR or medication issues contact Dr
Jenny Gowan 0417 506
944. Click here for flyer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See the latest communication from the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer
under latest news on our website
(dated 24 May, 2009), noting again that references to Public Health Units
translates to contacting the Communicable Disease Prevention & Control Unit
on 1300 651 160 or through our after hours paging service 1300 790 733. It is advised that you keep up to date
by checking the DHS website daily.
Practices are asked to check their childhood immunisation encounter data transmission to ACIR for the following error - Infantrix hexa at 2, 4 and 6 months is being mis-reported as infantrix IPV.
The availability of free vaccine for 18 to 26 year old women has been extended by 6 months. All females in this age group who are as yet un-immunised need to receive their first dose of the vaccine by 30 June 2009, and must complete all three doses by 31 December 2009.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The PEN CAT, in conjunction with the RACGP has set up a new website which can be found at: http://www.clinicalaudit.com.au/
To celebrate the launch of this website and to provide CAT users with valuable tools to assist them in getting the most out of CAT, they are asking you to submit recipes and success stories from your experience with CAT. Some examples are already available at www.clinicalaudit.com.au/how
When checking your email you will see some items that need following up but you don’t have the time to do it immediately!! In the Outlook Inbox there is a “Flag” column. Click once on the flag in the row of the item to be followed up later – this changes the colour of the flag to red.
Later, you can see all your red flagged items in the For follow up folder in the list of mail folders on the left of the screen. Once you follow the item up (i.e. complete it) click on the red flag in the For follow up folder – this removes it from the For follow up list and when you return to your Inbox the item will have a tick next to it - job done and done well!
With each update of MD, or drug database update, new items are added to the DOCLE code – these are the coded lists for diagnoses and reasons for contact. It is worthwhile having a look at these as they may prove valuable as Reason for contact, Reason for Prescription.
1. From
the Resources menu select What’s New in DOCLE…
2. Go through the list
For example the May 2009 DOCLE list included new codes for:
· Admission to hospital
· Diuresis
· Doctor Shopper
· Kidney pain
· Osteitis Pubis
Question: I would like to change my pathology provider to default to another provider.
Answer: To change your default
provider:
1. From the Tools menu select Options.
2. Click on the Investigations tab.
3. From the Company drop down list choose your preferred pathology provider.
4. Click on the box: Use as preferred provider.
1. “The Cutting Edge” – CPD event showcasing the Doctors Control Panel and MIA Direct – found under CPD – Calendar of Events
2. GP Referral to a Lifestyle Modification Program combined – an updated template for the Life Diabetes or Item 713 – found under Information Management - templates
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
To assist in triaging Outpatient referrals, the name of the Clinic and
the "Head of Unit" need to be included on the referral. Information regarding the Clinic names and
Heads of Units can be found on the Austin Health internet here.
Referrals that do not have this information will be sent a fax requesting
further information. Should you have any
questions, please contact Dr. Wendy Fisher, GP Liaison Officer, on 9496 2681 (Mondays and Tuesdays) or wendy.fisher@austin.org.au
All URGENT
Austin Health Outpatient referrals should be sent to the GP Liaison Nurse, Ann
Steven, on phone 9496 2533 (direct line) or
email ann.steven@austin.org.au. Ann is available to assist GPs from 10am to
8pm Mon-Fri, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday. Outside these hours, an answering
machine will take a message.
One of the most difficult tasks facing any GP is
assisting a distraught parent who is seeking help following the death of a
child. There is a unique organisation called The Compassionate Friends (TCF) which
can offer support to you or your patient.
Please contact Fiona
Heylan, The Compassionate Friends, Community
Education Coordinator on (03) 9888 4034 or fionah@compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au
to organise educational in-house programs for staff of
your clinic. Website: www.compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au if you would like more information. She
will also be happy to provide your rooms with brochures or other information.
NEMICS Annual Forum: Tuesday 16 June 2009 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm
(Registration and refreshments from 5.15 pm) at Function Room 1, Manningham
Council Offices,
RSVP essential: Jan Townsend on 9496 3322 Email: jan.townsend@austin.org.au by Wednesday 10 June 2009 or visit http://www.nemics.org.au/Display.aspx
National Primary Care Pty.Ltd is one of several companies assisting pratices to complete EPC items. Services provided include Health Assessments either in the home or in the surgery, contributing to the GPMP & TCA's. For more information please call Rhonda on 9432 8936
This week’s edition includes: AMACDT farewells Alex Markwell, AMACDT Leadership Development Dinner 2009, AMA’s salaried doctors and doctors in training committees meet in Canberra, AMA writes to Minister on clinical training places, Federal Budget outcomes, AMA online fatigue risk assessment tool, 6th National Doctors Health Conference, 2010 Australian General Practice Training program intake, 2009 MIGA Doctors in Training Grants Program
Waiting times for new referrals to Bundoora Extended Care Centre Inpatient Admissions are currently approximately Gem 0-1, Rehab 0 days as of Tuesday 26/05/2009. Any queries regarding our waiting times please contact Access BECC on 9495 3109
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Mental Health Small Group for GPs has commenced it’s second program and will meet on the last Tuesday night
of each month at 7pm - 9pm. The meeting is held in the Board Room, North
East Valley Div of General Practice,
If you wish to attend on June 30 ring Jennie Rickard on 9496 4333 for further information.
There is a planned change to the mental health item numbers. From July 09 GPs will be required to document a diagnosis of a mental health disorder in the mental health plan. The GP Mental Health Care Plan name will be changed to “GP Mental Health Treatment Plan”. From January 2010 there will be a new Medicare Schedule fee ($125.95) to develop a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, for those GPs who have not completed level 1 mental health skills training. For GPs who have completed the level 1 Mental Health training the current Medicare Schedule fee of $156.85 will remain. The Division will provide a Level 1 training prior to Jan 2010. Other trainings will be advertised as they become available.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday
10th June 7 - 8.30pm (Registrations 6.30) at John Scott Meeting House.
Registration: see flyer.
This session provides a valuable opportunity to discuss up-to-date, independent, practical, evidence-based information on current therapeutic issues with a trained NPS facilitator.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please
note: only new ads, paid ads or resubmitted ads will be posted here. All other ads
can be found on the website
Practice
Staff
Alphington MC - Part time or Full Time position now available for an experience practice nurse RN Div 1 for a busy general practice. Friendly supportive, environment and excellent remuneration. Inquiries: Rosa Merigan 9481 4861 or email rosa@alphingtonmc.com.au.
Bundoora - Busy Family Medical Centre, fully accredited, requires a part time Medical Receptionist for approximately 15 hours a week. Willing to relieve for holidays and sick leave. Contact Michele Jones, Practice Manager or Penny Ashton on 94671444.
Eastern and north-eastern suburbs - Italian speaking nurse available to assist GPs requiring Health Assessments and Care Plans for their Italian patients. Call Monica on 0409 559 227.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Professor of Medicine, a man well known for his earnest and oft-proclaimed
temperance views, was (yet again) lecturing the medical students on the damage
that alcohol can do. To demonstrate its effect on the nervous system, he took a
worm and dropped it into a glass of gin & tonic. The worm wriggled around
for a few minutes before finally giving a few convulsive twitches and dying.
"And can we deduce anything from that?" asked the Professor with the
triumphant air implying that only the obvious conclusion could be drawn.
"Yes," came a voice from the back, "if you've got worms, drink
alcohol."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
And remember…
… for every action there is an equal and opposite criticism.