More Support for Practice Principals and Managers

The impacts of COVID-19 and competing pressures on business are changing the landscape of running general practice.  In May and June, we asked for general practice feedback on the business supports they need to help run their businesses.  As a starting point, we have developed a range of videos and supporting notes to provide guidance on general practice business needs.  The videos include:

• Leading During the Crisis
• The Essence of a Business Plan/Strategy
• Understanding Your Market/Demographics
• Managing Cash Flow and Economic Performance
• Patient Communication 

Head to our website to view each of the videos and supporting notes and watch out for updates on specific business training related to these topics in the future.

Future directions for the Place-Based Suicide Prevention Trials

The Victorian Suicide Prevention Framework 2016-2025 sets a target to halve Victoria’s suicide rate by 2025. The Victorian Government has been partnering with Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to deliver the Place-Based Suicide Prevention trials.

The trials were established in 2016, initially running until June 2020. In February 2020, it was announced that trials would be extended for a further two years until June 2022.

SEMPHN and the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) have agreed on an approach to the extension of the Place-Based Trials in the SEMPHN catchment.

The Place-Based Suicide Prevention Trials will include an expansion of the two geographical regions to now include Casey and Cardinia as well as existing trial sites of Greater Dandenong, Frankston and Mornington Peninsula.

Read the full announcement on our website. 

 GPs needed to support aged care facilities

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking immediate support from local doctors to assist at four aged care facilities managed by Healthscope.

Healthscope is currently caring for over 45 residents from impacted aged care facilities at its Bellbird Private (Blackburn), Latrobe Private (Bundoora) and within isolated wards at Knox Private (Wantirna), and John Fawkner (Coburg) sites. Many of the residents are COVID-positive.

Healthscope will ensure all GPs will be appropriately remunerated for their time and expertise. GPs will be credentialled for all Healthscope sites as Visiting Medical Officers, to provide in-patient medical care. GPs will also be provided with training and be supported on-site by credentialled specialists where any medical matter requires escalation.

All Healthscope sites carry extensive PPE to protect their medical professionals, workforce and patients.

Healthscope’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Victoria Atkinson has further outlined the urgent need for help in a short video.

Please contact Anne Moutsos, Healthscope Victorian Business Development Manager, at anne.moutsos@healthscope.com.au or mobile 0420 895 910 if you would like to learn more.

Using telehealth for aged care ‘visits’

Australians living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) are particularly vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19. Extra precautions are needed to minimise their risk of exposure.

However, it is also essential that they continue to have access to medical services for their ongoing care. Telehealth consults provide a safer option for both patients and staff and are now funded by Medicare as part of the COVID-19 temporary MBS item numbers.

SEMPHN can set your practice up with Health Direct’s VideoCall, at no cost during the COVID-19 response. It is a video consultation program specifically designed for health care, with many useful features including:

• easy to use – nothing to install – it uses your web browser on your PC, laptop, tablet (iPad) or smartphone
• mimics your usual workflow
• healthcare level security
• aged care staff can connect on a smartphone or tablet from a link you send to them and facilitate the consultation with the patient

We will setup VideoCall and provide you with step by step training to get you started as well as ongoing support. 

Contact our Digital Health team  digitalhealth@semphn.org.au  or 03 8514 4460 to help. 

Changes to MBS Telehealth items

Changes to the COVID-19 Temporary MBS Telehealth Services were recently made, particularly to the eligibility criteria.

The main change is that general practices can only perform a telehealth consult where they have an ‘existing relationship’ with the patient. However, this requirement does not currently apply to practices in the SEMPHN region, due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Victoria.

For more information, see the MBS factsheet, which can be found in the MBS Telehealth section of our Health Vital IT guide to remote consultations

Practice Managers, let's get digital!

SEMPHN and Thinktank Social, are inviting practice managers to a live webinar on Re-assurance and growth marketing through digital and social media.

In this 60-minute webinar Practice Managers will discover:

• Current and relevant examples of what different service providers are sending to their clients, consumers, and members to continuously engage, inform, and educate to retain and acquire.
• Navigate the digital landscape in the new normal and how to make better-informed decisions for your Practice in uncertain times.
• Be aware of what is possible - ways to reassure your patients that it is ok to visit, leading to increased inquiry/visitation/bookings.
• How to differentiate your practice in a crowded digital market to gain and retain attention leading to increased patient visitation.
• 5 practical steps you can implement immediately to grow your practice via digital and social media.

Presenter: Sam Mutimer from Thinktank Social
When: Thursday, 13 August, 12.30-1.30
Where: Online webinar
Register here.

What is the role of a GP during and after cancer treatment?

​Don't miss out on this cancer care webinar series. The series kicks off next week Tuesday 11 August. 

The series will help GPs gain insight into:

• The role of Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) and online pathways;
• The barriers and enablers to implementation of OCP recommendations;
• The GP’s role during and immediately after cancer treatment and in survivorship care (long term management of cancer as a chronic disease);
• Health literacy, survival rate, treatment side effects, finance, employment, carer, mental health, recurrence.

Register for the webinars below:

All webinars take place on a Tuesday at 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm

• 11 August: Cancer care after initial treatment and recovery
• 18 August:  Managing recurrent, residual and metastatic cancer
  25 August: End-of-life cancer care.

What's new in immunisation? Explore the NIP Changes in this webinar

Did you know there are significant changes to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccination schedule recommendations that commenced on 1 July?

Dr Peter Eizenberg will present a one hour webinar Thursday, 20 August at 7 pm clarifying very significant changes to the Pneumococcal recommendations.

These changes have far-reaching implications for scheduling and funding especially for the medically at-risk and older Australians including people with existing reminders for Pneumococcal vaccination.

Also covered will be the updated meningococcal recommendations including the targeted funding of meningococcal B for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander children less than 2 years, as well as Meningococcal B and ACWY vaccines for people of all ages with some medical risk conditions.

When: 20 August, 7 pm–8 pm
Where: Online webinar
Cost: free
Register here.

NPS Medicinewise offers education from your clinic or home

NPS MedicineWise is now offering independent, evidence-based education from the comfort of home. 

NPS can provide a virtual visit via video call for their latest topics,  Paediatric asthma: breathing new life into diagnosis and management, and opioids, chronic pain and the bigger picture. 

Just like visits to your clinic, virtual visits via video call are approved under the RACGP & ACRRM CPD programs.

The visiting material is sent to you in advance as electronic and/or hard copy depending on your preference and they can carry out virtual visits via a range of different video conferencing platforms including Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Each visit can be scheduled at a mutually convenient time – including before or after standard work hours.

 To make an appointment simply contact your local NPS MedicineWise educator, Melissa Riley on 0405 308 038 or mriley@nps.org.au

 Explore the Carer Awareness in General Practice

About 1 in 8 people in Australia are carers. Caring can have a significant impact on a carer's physical, mental, social and financial wellbeing.

Learn how to support and improve carers’ wellbeing with the new Carer Awareness in General Practice education kit.

VTPHNA has released new Carer Awareness Education to help GPs and practice nurses identify and support people who are in a carer role and to better understand and help them to improve their health and wellbeing. The education kit was developed with input from GPs, practice nurses, carers and Carers Victoria.

Explore the Carer Awareness in General Practice online education at vtphna.org.au/carers 

Have you seen RACGP's new CPD platform?

The RACGP has launched an intuitive new CPD platform with a stronger focus on education. RACGP members will now be able to more easily access and report continuing professional development (CPD) activities through the new, easy-to-use myCPD platform.

The new quick log feature allows GPs to quickly submit professional development activities undertaken as part of their daily work, including reading medical journals, running practice meetings and listening to medical podcasts, as well as other external activities not directly focused on their clinical practice. GPs can upload supporting documents and photographs thus removing the administrative burden often involved in submitting CPD activities.

The CPD Program criteria has also been broadened to recognise the activities in which GPs engage as part of their daily work, including reading medical journals, running practice meetings and listening to medical podcasts, as well as other external activities not directly focused on their clinical practice.
 
The myCPD dashboard makes it easier for GPs to search for education options relevant to their interests, as well as browse an evolving library of resources. All CPD activities on offer have been developed in accordance with the colleges new CPD Education Standards, so GPs can be assured of the quality of activities.
 
GPs will be able to access myCPD either from their desktop, phone or tablet, making it easier to log and track CPD throughout the day. Find out more about the new features and benefits of the RACGP CPD platform here: www.racgp.org.au/yourcpdhome