This course covers 2 very important health assessments which could help alleviate the current rising tide of chronic diseases in Australia. The aim of both assessments is to prevent the development of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease by assessing and advising on existing risk factors and ensuring that undiagnosed chronic conditions are not left untreated.

Relevance to General Practice

General Practice is ideally placed to adequately treat, manage and prevent chronic disease in middle-aged people.
The Medicare-funded initiatives of Health Assessments for patients 45-49yrs of age and the Diabetes Risk test for patients 40-49yrs old provide a vehicle for structured preventative care in this area, but the uptake of the initiative could be improved Nationally.
General Practitioners have identified a need for practical training and resources to assist with implementation of this initiative in practice. This course aims to address this need.

Learning outcomes

1. List the most important components of the 45-49yr Health Check & the 40-49 Diabetes Risk Assessment
2. Identify Medicare audit requirements for items related to these assessments
3. Describe how to set up an effective system to recruit and engage patients for these health assessments.