News
In Practice: Curated news for RACGP members
Every week, newsGP will highlight clinical and professional resources and events that have been specifically tailored for GPs.
This week’s round up includes new GP resources on how to discuss fees with patients; quality improvement’s role in general practice research; and webinars on climate change, chest pain and family violence.
Discussing fees with your patients: Information for GPs
The RACGP Funding and Health System Reform team have developed an information sheet for GPs that provides advice on how to communicate with patients about fees.
The resource includes points that can be used to assist in conversations with patients about why they are being charged a gap fee or why their fees have increased, along with links to further information.
GPs can consult this information sheet for advice on discussing billing, out-of-pocket expenses and the cost of healthcare with their patients. It includes advice on how to inform patients about fees, and discuss gap fees and fee increases.
The information sheet is available from the RACGP resources to help you manage your billing webpage (member login required).
Quality improvement: Where it fits in general practice research
Webinar: Thursday 16 September, 7.00 – 8.15 pm (AEST)
Are you interested in contributing to general practice research? This webinar will explore practical examples of quality improvement (QI) activities and its relevance to general practice research.
It will consider the ethical requirements of research and outline some triggers for seeking an ethical review of your QI or evaluation activity. The webinar will also introduce the SQUIRE guidelines that increase the likelihood of your research being published.
Register now.
Modern management of chest pain
Webinar: Thursday 2 September, 9.00 – 10.15 pm (AEST) and 7.00 pm – 8.15 pm (AWST)
This event attracts 2 CPD points.
This free webinar covers managing chest pain in general practice, including best practice for developing comprehensive management plans and the referral pathways for acute coronary syndromes/stable angina.
The webinar will also explore the use of CT coronary angiogram, the CT coronary artery Ca score and pre-test counselling, as well as understanding false positive rates in women, the use of dobutamine tests and the role of troponin in general practice.
Register now.
The Readiness Program: Domestic and family violence training
The Readiness Program is a national domestic and family violence training program specifically designed for the primary healthcare workforce.
Facilitated by the Safer Families Centre in partnership with the RACGP, Blue Knot Foundation and Phoenix Australia, the program takes on a whole-of-practice approach. It focuses on building the capability of the primary care workforce to recognise, respond, refer and record disclosures of domestic and family violence.
A range of learning platforms is available for GPs, including:
- an upcoming series of RACGP webinars
- a suite of e-learning modules via the University of Melbourne online platform
- practice-centred learning tailored for individual practices
- one-day training workshops
- a Community of Practice for ongoing mentorship and support.
More information is available on the
Safer Families Centre website, where you can also register your interest in taking part in the program.
The health effects of climate change
Webinar: Thursday 30 September, 7.30 pm – 8.30 pm AEST
Presented by Dr Kate Wylie, RACGP Specific Interests Climate and Environmental Medicine.
This event attracts 2 CPD points.
Climate change is a major health threat, described as the greatest threat to human health for this century. This free webinar introduces GPs to the health effects of climate change.
It outlines how anthropogenic global warming is changing our climate and how this change then affects human health. The webinar will look at opportunities for GPs to adapt and mitigate the climate crisis, focusing on what can be done regarding patients, practices, communities, and for themselves.
Learning outcomes:
- Describe how burning fossil fuels causes global warming
- Identify three common health impacts of climate change
- Describe which groups are at the greatest risk of heat-related illness
- Describe which groups are at the greatest risk of smoke inhalation from bushfires
- Identify the mental health impacts of climate change
Register now.
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chest pain climate change domestic and family violence general practice billing quality improvement
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