Tag: general practice
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New RACGP Guide Helps GPs Safely Deprescribe Antidepressants
Overview: A Step Toward Safer Antidepressant Deprescribing Depression and other mental health concerns are among the most common reasons patients visit general practice. As clinicians strive to provide effective treatment while minimizing harm, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has released a practical guide in its First do no harm series. This new…
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Measuring Digital Maturity in General Practice: Validation of a GP-Specific Questionnaire
Introduction: Why Measure Digital Maturity in General Practice? As healthcare systems face demographic shifts, specialist shortages, and uneven GP distribution, digital solutions offer a practical path to maintaining accessible, high-quality care. General practitioners (GPs) are often the first contact in care and serve as gatekeepers coordinating further treatment. This context underscores the need for reliable…
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Measuring Digital Maturity of GP Practices: A New Tool
Introduction: Why Measure Digital Maturity in GP Practices General practitioner (GP) practices face ongoing challenges, including demographic shifts, specialist shortages, and uneven rural-urban distribution. Digital solutions—such as electronic health records, telemedicine, health apps, and intelligent scheduling—hold promise for improving efficiency and patient access. Yet to harness these benefits, GP practices need reliable ways to assess…
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Measuring Digital Maturity in General Practice: Development and Validation of a GP-Focused Questionnaire
Introduction and Rationale General practitioner (GP) practices face ongoing challenges such as demographic shifts, specialist shortages, and uneven urban–rural distribution. Digital solutions—electronic records, telemedicine, health apps, and smart scheduling—promise to mitigate these pressures and improve outpatient care. Yet, unlike inpatient settings, GP practices lack a widely used, psychometrically validated maturity model tailored to their context.…
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WA GPs Offer Parliament a Plan: GPs as the Answer to Overwhelmed Hospitals
WA GPs Present a Plan to Parliament: GPs as the Solution to Hospital Strain A delegation of seven Western Australian general practitioners (GPs) representing the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is heading to the WA Parliament with a mission: to quantify how primary care can relieve overwhelmed hospitals. The group will offer risk assessments…
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WA GPs’ Pitch to Parliament: GPs the Solution to Overwhelmed Hospitals
Overview: A Stand for General Practice in Western Australia A delegation of seven Western Australian general practitioners (GPs) representing the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is heading to the WA Parliament with a practical, patient-centered plan to relieve hospitals at a time of mounting pressure. Their pitch centers on empowering general practice to act…
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Why Primary Health Network GPs Should Embrace HealthPathways Now
Unlocking Local, Up-to-Date Care Pathways for GPs For many General Practitioners (GPs) in the Primary Health Network (PHN) region, HealthPathways is a trusted, constantly refreshed source of concise information on patient assessment, management, and local referral pathways. If your practice isn’t using HealthPathways yet, you’re missing a crucial tool that peers across the region are…
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Why GPs Should Embrace HealthPathways: Streamlined Guidance for Central Coast and Hunter New England
Unlocking Faster, More Consistent Patient Care with HealthPathways For general practitioners (GPs) across the Central Coast and Hunter New England regions, HealthPathways offers a practical, evidence-based framework to guide patient assessment, management, and local referrals. If you haven’t yet set up a personal HealthPathways account, you’re joining a majority of colleagues who already benefit from…
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Jess’s Rule: How a delayed brain-tumour diagnosis sparked a push for safer GP care
Overview: A life changed by a delayed diagnosis In Derby, 28-year-old Jessie Lambert’s journey from puzzling seizures to a life-saving discovery highlights a growing concern in primary care: when symptoms persist, could a second look prevent serious outcomes? Jessie’s experiences, which began with unexplained seizures in October 2023, show how misinterpretation of symptoms as mental…
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Billing rates remain low as GPs spend longer with patients, survey finds
Longer consultations, lower per-minute rebates Australian GPs are increasingly dedicating more time to each patient, particularly for mental health issues, while the financial incentives of time-based care push the system toward what practitioners call “six-minute medicine.” A recent Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) survey highlights the tension between the demand for thorough, empathetic…