No 1019: June 10, 2010
eNews is a weekly electronic newsletter
sent to all GP practices (with email addresses) within the
In this issue:
Editorial Health
Assessment template updates
Chronic Disease Management Medicare Items, Carb Counting Workshops for Pumpers, National Diabetes Week
2010
Professional Development CPD
events
HMR PPIs - their place, long term effects and other GI issues
Immunisation Suspension
of the seasonal influenza vaccine in children under 5 years of age
Information Management Medical Director Tips
Items of interest Dineen and Westcott
Audiologists, GP Network News
News for Practice Staff Variation
to the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010, Scholarships
NPS NPS Clinical Audit Update
Paediatrics Whooping cough notifications are rising in
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A Word from the Editor
Health Assessment template updates
There are new
templates that cover the 6 of the time-based health assessments items: 701 (brief), 703 (standard), 705 (long)
and 707 (prolonged).
These are:
- Over 75 Health assessment at
surgery or in the home – annual [Replaces 700, 702]
- 4 year old health check – once only
[Replaces 709]. Also Nurse item number 10986 [Replaces 711]
- 45-49 health assessment “at risk”
of developing a chronic disease – once only [Replaces 717]
- Health assessment for people with
an intellectual disability – annual [Replaces 718, 719]
- Health assessment for refugees and
other humanitarian entrants – once only [Replaces 714]
- CMA in Residential Aged Care –
annual [Replaces 712]
These can be
found on the NEV
website and allow you place an X in the appropriate box as well as record
Nurse and Doctor time.
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It is suggested
that old templates be deleted and the new ones added.
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Chronic Disease Management
Medicare Items
CDM Questions and Answers updated to reflect the changes from May 1st. See here.
Carb Counting Workshops for Pumpers
Diabetes
National Diabetes Week 2010
Diabetes
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Continuing Professional Development
Lifestyle Modification Program for the 40-49 year olds + CAT training
Tuesday
15 June 7-9pm Registration: 6:30 pm For Practice Managers, Nurses and
GPs - This program is for referring patients "at risk" of developing
Type 2 diabetes to a FREE 6 session Lifestyle Modification Program, using the time-based
item numbers 701, 703, 705 and 707. At
Making the Connection - The interplay between mental health & chronic disease
Wednesday 23 June 7- 9:30pm (Registration/meal: 6:30). A workshop for GPs, Practice Managers & Practice Nurses, presented by Dr Lisa Engel at John Scott Meeting House, La Trobe University [Map]. [Application Form]
CPR Update
Tuesday 20th July 6.30pm – 9.30pm (dinner from 6.15pm) For GPs, practice staff and practice nurses. As part of RACGP QA&CPD Program, GPs have until the end of this year to complete an accredited CPR course. This course meets the requirements for CPR training and has 5 Category 2 RACGP points attached. Flyer.
Term 2 GP Lecture Program
Meetings are held each Tuesday starting at 12.30 in the
Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor,
June 15 - Sarcoma’s & Spinal Tumours - Mr Gerald Quan
For full term Tuesday lecture program click here
Austin Health - Division
of Medicine Grand Round
“Pacemakers for ventilation, stimulating the upper and lower airways”. Speakers: Drs Maree Barnes and Mark Howard.
Wednesday 16th June, 12:30pm
at John Lindell Lecture Theatre, Level 4,
Orthopaedic Update
Wednesday
16 June 7.15-9.15pm (dinner 6.15) at Epworth Richmond, Auditorium,
Level 2,
Free car parking is available at Epworth Richmond - enter via
Dementia: Diagnosis, Risk and Safety
Wednesday, 13th October - a full day conference for medical and other health care providers. Flyer
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Home Medicines Review
PPIs - their place, long term effects and other GI issues
An invitation to GPs, Practice nurses, Aged Care nurses and pharmacists
Topics include:
· Risk versus benefit
· Long term effects—doses, clopidogrel interactions
· The place of OTC PPIs for dinner parties
· Your GI questions
Wednesday
7 July, 7pm-9pm (Dinner from 6.30pm) at John Scott Meeting House, La
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Immunisation
Suspension of the seasonal influenza vaccine in children under 5 years of age
Previous
advice suspending the use of seasonal influenza vaccine since 23 April 2010 in
children aged five years and under has been modified as follows:
The 2010 free
seasonal influenza vaccine program for children with medical risk factors can
continue as follows:
- Six months to
under 5 years of age; the increased rate of fever and febrile convulsions
should be discussed as part of the consent process with the parent, and
either Vaxigrip(r) or Influvac(r)
can be administered with the dose adjusted according to age i.e. 0.25ml
for 6 months to under 3 years of age and 0.5ml from 3 years of age and
over.
- Healthy children
under 5 years of age should not be vaccinated with the 2010 seasonal
influenza vaccine. This group can receive the Panvax(r)
H1N1 vaccine.
- Five years of age
and over; any seasonal influenza vaccine may be used.
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Information Management
Medical Director Tip - De-notifying results
Often
it is difficult to get the GP to click on the “Mark as notified” button after discussing a result with a patient –
this is needed to complete the pathology management cycle. Sometimes, however
the reverse is the case – a result has been “marked as notified” when it should not have been. You can only rectify this situation on the day that the
result has been notified. Go to the Results
tab of the patient record, click on the incorrectly notified result – the “Mark as notified” button now turns into
“Mark as de-notified”. By then clicking on the “Mark as de-notified”
button the date is removed from the Notified
column.
There
is also a “De-notified” button when
you check all the Investigation results:
- No patient record
open:
- Investigations
>Results…
Once
again, this will only allow you to “de-notify” results that have been notified
today.
This weeks IM problem - Incorrect deceasing of patients
Question: We just sent 2 recall letters to deceased
patients, one of whom was a suicide case. This is very embarrassing and
reflects badly on the practice. I found out that one of the doctors was adding
“deceased” as a coded item in the Reason
for contact of the patient record. This was done in the mistaken belief
that this was the method of deceasing patients. Of course these patients are
still active. Is there any way I can call up a list of these incorrectly
deceased patients.
Answer: Apart from the irony that Reason for contact is
“deceased”, yes there is a way of finding those patients.
1. With
no patient record open, from the Search
menu select Patients…
2. Click
on the Condition radio button and
type in DECEASED and click on the Add to
search criteria button.
3. Click
on Search and the list of patients
will appear. Print the list and then you can correctly decease
the patient.
4. Now
go and knock on the door of the doctor who created this problem and give
him/her a stern lecture. Bring the subject up at the next clinical meeting and
get a proper system in place so that patients are “deceased” correctly.
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Items of Interest
Dineen and Westcott Audiologists
Specialising in tinnitus, hyperacusis and acoustic shock disorder (ASD) evaluation, rehabilitation and research. A professional partnership of audiologists, with extensive experience in hearing assessment and the fitting/fine-tuning of digital hearing aids, aim to make hearing aids accessible by keeping prices below the industry average and provide appointments as needed at no charge for 12 months after hearing aid fitting. Refer to the website (www.dineenandwestcott.com.au) for further information about services and ethical policy. Download guides for GPs on: sensorineural hearing loss and hearing aids; ASD and some research publications.
GP Network News
This week’s edition includes: Tax relief for rural doctors; Suspension of seasonal flu vaccine to children – update; More support needed for doctors working in aged care; New Chair of AMACGP; AMA National Conference 2010 – AMA Roll of Fellows
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News for Practice Staff
Variation to the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010
Fair Work Australia has recently varied this Award with respect to clause 24.2 dealing with the span of ordinary hours for medical practices and clause 29 dealing with shift work loading. See full bulletin.
Scholarships
Professional Development scholarships for nurses working in aboriginal medical services are available here. Applications will close 18
For information on other Australian Government Scholarships see here.
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National Prescribing Service
NPS Clinical Audit Update
·
Use of benzodiazepines, zolpidem
and zopiclone in insomnia - Closed 21 May.
Feedback reports to be distributed late September 2010.
·
Management of COPD and smoking cessation - Enrolments
available online at www.nps.org.au/health_professionals;
a divisional flyer was circulated recently
·
Review of opioid
prescribing in chronic pain - Audits packs will be available in July 2010.
·
Clinical e-Audit: Optimising
management of type 2 diabetes - Online enrolment continues to be
available at www.nps.org.au/health_professionals.
·
Clinical e-Audit: Review of proton pump inhibitor
(PPI) prescribing - Online enrolment continues to be available at www.nps.org.au/health_professionals.
·
Clinical e-Audit: Management of hypertension - Enrolment
available in September 2010.
All activities have been approved in the 2008-2010 triennium by: RACGP QA&CPD Program, total points 40
(Category 1) & ACRRM PD Program for 30 points (extended skills) in the
2008–2010 triennium.
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Paediatrics
Whooping cough notifications are rising in Victoria
The RCH has seen 12 under 1yr old confirmed cases since Jan 1st 2010. Parents of newborns can have free vaccinations – call 1300 882 008 or see www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation for clinical & parent information and order forms.
RCH GP website (Kids Connect): www.rch.org.au/kidsconnect/clinical.cfm?doc_id=8612
to find RCH recommended vaccination schedule (
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Positions vacant/wanted
Please note: only new ads or resubmitted ads will be posted here. All other
ads can be found on the website
Positions vacant
Doctors
Ivanhoe - VR GP Full time or Part time required to work in this GP operated accredited medical centre. A friendly and supportive team environment in this computerised medical centre with allied health, nursing staff and radiology on site. No A/H’s flexible working hours family friendly. Please contact John or Ken on 03 9497 1188.
Kensington
- GP, Full and Part-Time sessions
available in The DGCHS Medical Clinic. Attractive salary, general medicine, Mental Health, Youth, Refugee
and CALD communities. Reception, administrative and nursing support provided. For
enquires please contact
Northcote – F/t P/T 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
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Humour
What have we learned in 2,064 years?
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public
debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and
controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest
So, evidently nothing....................
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And remember…
…I wondered why the ball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.