31 July 2018


‘My Health Record in general practice’ education program

My Health Record is changing from a participant self-registration (‘opt-in’) model to an ‘opt-out’ model. All Australians known to Medicare or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs are set to receive a My Health Record after 15 October 2018, unless they notify the government they do not want one.

General practice teams are likely to encounter questions from patients about the system and how it is used by healthcare providers. GPs are also likely to have their own questions about the purpose and functionality of My Health Record, as well as their own legislative requirements and potential impacts of the My Health Record expansion for their workflow.

The RACGP is working in collaboration with the Australian Digital Health Agency to deliver a national GP education and awareness program on My Health Record. The program, which consists of a series of webinars and workshops, is being delivered by GPs across the country. Participants are eligible for 4 Category 2 RACGP QI&CPD points for the 2017-19 triennium.

To learn more, visit the RACGP website and register for a workshop or webinar today.
 

Convocation submission period closing soon

The Convocation submission period closes in shareGP 12.00 pm Friday 3 August (AEST).

RACGP members are invited to log in to the shareGP 2018 Convocation space to submit items and comment on items posted by others. View ‘How to create a 2018 Convocation item’ in shareGP or on the RACGP website for help on how to submit an item.

Visit shareGP or the RACGP website for further key dates for convocation.
 

Herpes simplex virus in neonates

The Coroners Court of Victoria recently made some recommendations to the RACGP following the death of a newborn as a result of Herpes simplex virus (HSV).  

The Coroner asked the RACGP to highlight the importance of assessing neonates; in particular, keeping an eye out for key signs such as lethargy, poor feeding, apnoea, grunting, colour and tone, along with ensuring that rectal temperature, respiratory and heart rate are measured.

GPs can refer to information on the presentation of HSV in neonates in the Victorian State Government neonatal ehandbook.

The Coroner also asked the RACGP to highlight the importance of comprehensive clinical notes that correctly reflect the information captured in consultations, and for GPs to ensure that information is recorded at the time of consultation, or as soon as practicable afterwards.

Please refer to the RACGP Standards 5th edition (Core Standard 7) for further information on the content of patient health records.

In practice poll: Providing preventive care

We know that more than one third of Australia’s total burden of disease can be attributed to lifestyle factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and tobacco use. The burden of disease is even greater for regional, rural or remote populations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Health promotion and provision of preventive healthcare is an important part of the care GPs provide. However, the importance of preventive care in general practice is often under-recognised by those outside the profession.

Additionally, many GPs report that they face barriers in providing preventive healthcare to their patients, such as:

  • difficulty in finding time to provide patients with preventive healthcare
  • inadequate support for providing preventive healthcare through the current Medicare system.

The RACGP is advocating for increased recognition of the important role GPs play in prevention and health promotion. We are therefore interested in hearing more about your experience in providing preventive healthcare to your patients, including strategies used or barriers faced when delivering this care.


Media enquiries

Journalists and media outlets seeking comment and information from the RACGP should contact:

John Ronan

Senior Media Advisor