News
In Practice: Health of the Nation deadline extended
Members now have until the end of the month to participate in Australia’s largest general practice survey and help shape future advocacy.
The Health of the Nation survey takes around 12 minutes to complete and will help guide RACGP advocacy on workforce issues.
This week’s In Practice also includes details on a webinar focused on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASVCD), a new MBS education resource, changes to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) website and a reminder about the upcoming Australian Dementia Research Forum.
Health of the Nation survey extended
The Health of the Nation survey will now close at 11.59 pm (AEST) on Wednesday 31 May.
This year’s theme is attracting and retaining the general practice workforce, which remains a significant issue despite recent positive developments in this year’s Federal Budget.
The survey takes approximately 12 minutes to complete and will help guide a targeted advocacy agenda around workforce issues.
Preventing subsequent events in patients with ASCVD
Webinar: Tuesday 30 May, 7.00 – 8.00 pm (AEST)
Patients with ASCVD, such as those with a history of acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and/or coronary revascularisation, are at the highest risk of a subsequent event and are candidates for secondary prevention.
Hosted by Associate Professor Peter Psaltis, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor Ralph Audehm and Professor Charlotte Hespe, the third and final event of the series will focus on modifiable risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes, including appropriate targets from national and international guidelines.
Attendees will learn how to:
- recognise the critical role of GPs in reviewing management of ASCVD patients for secondary prevention
- implement systems and processes to proactively review ASCVD patients’ therapy against guideline-recommended targets in a timely and structured manner
- appreciate the importance of measuring and improving medication adherence in reducing risk of recurrent events.
Register online.
Sponsored by Amgen Australia.
New MBS education webpage
The RACGP recently published
a webpage with links to Medicare and compliance education resources.
Collating resources in a central location means members will not have to search across multiple websites to find what they’re looking for. Links are grouped under key themes listed in alphabetical order, making it easier locate MBS information.
The resources have been sourced from the Department of Health and Aged Care, Services Australia and RACGP, and include:
- MBS explanatory notes
- fact sheets
- education guides
- eLearning programs
- infographics
- case studies.
Members can find out more about the webpage
online.
Australian Dementia Research Forum
Monday – Wednesday, 29–31 May
Location: JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa, Surfers Paradise, Queensland
The premier event for bringing together dementia researchers, health professionals and policy makers, as well as people living with dementia and their families and carers, this year’s
Australian Dementia Research Forum is focused on discovery, diagnostics and management.
GPs interested in being informed on the latest diagnostic tools for assessing cognitive decline in general practice are encouraged to attend.
With dementia now the
leading cause of disease burden in Australians aged over 65 years, it is estimated that more than 400,000 people were living with the diseases in 2022, and this number is
expected to reach one million by 2056.
According to the Australian Dementia Network, dementia and cognitive health will continue to be a complex and challenging area of healthcare, putting pressure on GPs and the healthcare system for prevention, accurate diagnosis, treatment and care.
Dementia research is vital to develop effective treatment therapies and arm healthcare providers with the skills and knowledge to accurately and efficiently assess cognitive health in patients by engaging with the latest developments in this field, as well as ensuring:
- access to reliable, low-cost diagnostics
- training to maximise the benefit of new treatments
- patient participation in clinical trials
- early detection of dementia through accurate blood tests.
The CPD-approved 2023 forum will offer sessions on:
- emerging research
- diagnostic tools
- clinical trials and therapeutic developments in dementia
- new and best-practice assessments to detect cognitive decline in general practice.
Register online.
Change to DVA website for providers
Visitors to DVA website will likely have noticed the ‘For Providers’ tab has moved and now sits under the ‘Get Support’ tab.
According to DVA, the change is designed to make web navigation easier for vulnerable veterans, so they can access the information they need, when they need it most.
However, while the way providers access news, information and resources has changed, the URL
remains the same.
Log in below to join the conversation.
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