GP clinic’s research drives positive change in patient care

A young GP clinic in Perth is making waves with its innovative approach to research-driven improvements in patient care.
 
At Garden Family Medical Clinic, the initiative began in 2023, when one of its GPs, Dr Emilie Pitter, noticed the potential to leverage data to better understand patient needs and enhance clinical outcomes.
 
The idea originated from discussions among the clinic's doctors during regular CPD meetings.
 
‘We were seeing so many interesting cases and thought, “why not collect some data and conduct research to better understand what’s coming through our doors?”,’ Dr Pitter said.
 
Additionally, new CPD requirements pushed the clinic to explore ways to align professional development with real-world practice.
 
Inspired by the landmark Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) study, the clinic designed a simplified, tailored approach to data collection.
 
The goal was to make it manageable for their two-site practice, while ensuring the information gathered could directly inform patient care and CPD activities.
 
How the project unfolded
The clinic sought ethics approval through the RACGP Ethics Committee, ensuring a robust foundation for the project.
 
While navigating the complex process delayed the team’s start, it provided valuable guidance on consent protocols and data collection methods.
 
In July 2024, the first week of data collection was conducted, followed by a second round in October.
 
Ultimately, 17 out of 24 GPs across the two sites participated, and patients were informed in advance through written materials and verbal consent during consultations, ensuring transparency.
 
Data was collected via a secure, custom-built survey platform, allowing GPs to complete the process in under a minute per patient.
 
The questions focused on consultation details, such as patient demographics, health issues presented, broad management aspects, and involvement of other healthcare staff.
 
Key findings and immediate impact
The data revealed several insights – confirming some assumptions while highlighting new opportunities.
 
For example, the clinic serves a predominantly young and female demographic, with women making up two-thirds of patients.
 
This spurred the clinic to explore ways to attract more male patients and address potential gaps in men’s health services.
 
One of the most significant outcomes was the decision to hire two new psychologists.
 
‘The data showed a high prevalence of mental health issues among our patients,’ Dr Pitter said.
 
‘Having hard data allowed us to justify this investment and meet a clear need in our community.’
 
Scaling up and looking ahead
Buoyed by the success of the initial phase, the clinic plans to make data collection a quarterly exercise, refining questions to focus on actionable insights.
 
It also aims to expand the project, potentially collaborating with other clinics or securing funding for a broader rollout.
 
‘This kind of data is incredibly powerful for understanding what GPs are doing on the ground and advocating for necessary resources,’ Dr Pitter said.
 
Despite the clinic’s limited experience in research, the project has ignited interest in applying for grants and developing their skills further.
 
Presenting the findings at GP24 also sparked conversations about the potential for scaling-up the initiative nationwide.
 
However, challenges such as funding and research expertise remain barriers.
 
Transforming general practice research
This grassroots initiative underscores the untapped potential of research in general practice.
 
‘Research shouldn’t just be about academics; it should be about real-world improvements to patient care,’ Dr Pitter said.
 
With their innovative approach, this Perth clinic is setting a compelling example for others to follow, proving that impactful research can start small and grow with vision and collaboration.
 
This project demonstrates how data-driven insights can transform general practice, ensuring that patient care evolves to meet the needs of the community.
 
Dr Pitter was recently awarded the esteemed Peter Mudge Medal at the Australian General Practice Research Foundation GP24 Conference Awards.
 
This accolade acknowledges her groundbreaking work on this ‘GPs and Patients Study’, highlighting her commitment to advancing research in general practice.
 
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BEACH Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health study GP24 research