Communicable diseases
General practitioners play an important role in the prevention and management of communicable diseases. This includes advice on prevention, immunisation, early detection and treatment.
Updates on communicable diseases are available from the Australian Department of Health website at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/portal-Communicable%20diseases.
General practitioners (laboratories and hospitals) are required by law to notify particular infectious diseases to their local or state public health units (this law over-rides all privacy regulations). A list of notifiable infectious diseases is available from state health department websites. This role has become almost completely automated by pathology laboratories as a result of advances in information technology. The GP may still need to ensure notification has occurred on occasions where a clinical diagnosis is made, or where clinical information is required.
© The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
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