Category Archives: general practice

For patients to play a more active role in managing chronic health problems, some changes are needed…

May 11, 2012 – 4:01 pm

Patients with chronic diseases could benefit if there were better systems in primary care to help them develop their capacity to manage their own conditions. That is the suggestion from a recent Queensland study investigating some of the barriers to and enablers of self-management support (or SMS) for patients with chronic conditions. The study is [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in health and medical research, primary health care | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Will social media prove useful in efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance?

April 23, 2012 – 4:25 pm

As previously reported, Sweden has shown it is possible to reduce prescribing of antibiotics. Can Australia manage similar? The NPS is hoping so – as you may have heard, it has launched a campaign using social media and mainstream media to engage the wider community in tackling inappropriate use of these drugs. (And on Thursday, the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in consumer health information, infectious diseases, Media-related issues, pharmaceutical industry, public health, social media and healthcare | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The latest wrap of Croakey’s coverage of public health, health reform and the works

April 10, 2012 – 8:37 pm

Croakey readers are welcome to sign up for (rather irregular) summaries of posts. If you’d like to join the mailing list, please send your email or leave it below. Here is the latest compilation, covering articles posted since the beginning of the year. The latest readership figures are now also available, showing that more than 39,000 [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, Food, Indigenous health, Media-related issues, Naked Doctor, physical activity, private health insurance, public health, rural and remote health, social determinants of health, social media and healthcare, The Conversation, tobacco control, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Primary health care: when and where did it all begin?

April 5, 2012 – 2:44 pm

Continuing the primary health care theme of the previous post, health policy expert Professor Philip Davies investigates the history of the terms “primary care” and “primary health care” – a topical matter given the legal action recently dropped by Primary Health Care Ltd. *** Tracking the long history of primary health care Philip Davies writes: After [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Hospitals, Journal articles, legal issues, Medicare Locals, primary health care | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Who is doing what in primary health care reform? And what can we learn from the most promising Medicare Locals?

April 5, 2012 – 12:18 pm

With so much expectation being placed upon primary health care reform and Medicare Locals, what can we learn from those of the new organisations that are expected to be pack-leaders? That was the question I was asking when researching this piece just published by the online publication Inside Story (which also recently appeared as part [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Health inequalities, health reform, Hospitals, Indigenous health, Medicare Locals, primary health care, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

What helps GPs provide better care to patients with mental disorders? And what doesn’t?

March 30, 2012 – 3:59 pm

A Canadian study investigating the factors that help and hinder GPs in providing care to patients with mental disorders also rings many bells locally. Facilitators included being paid a salary or hourly fees, having longer time slots for consultations, having psychosocial mental health care teams based on site, and having access to multidisciplinary assessment, meetings and [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in health and medical research, Medicare Locals, mental health, primary health care | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Tackling some of the tribal divisions within health

March 29, 2012 – 1:38 pm

Attending recent conferences, I was struck by two comments which, in their own ways, say much about the silos and divisions within the health sector. During a session where GP registrars were brainstorming ideas for improving the image of general practice, someone suggested that specialists should be re-named “partialists”, as a way of highlighting the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in health and medical education, health reform, health workforce, quality and safety of health care | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Unpicking some of the barriers to better collaboration between health professionals involved in diabetes care

March 23, 2012 – 2:43 pm

There is so much rhetoric in the health sector about the importance of collaboration, multidisciplinary approaches and teamwork. But there are many barriers to translating the rhetoric into reality. In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports on a study that makes timely and relevant [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in chronic diseases, diabetes, health and medical research, Medicare Locals, primary health care | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Improving the management of dementia in general practice

March 21, 2012 – 9:52 am

In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports on a new trial focused on improving management of patients with dementia in general practice. *** Early diagnosis of dementia offers a window of control in a disintegrating world Christina Hagger writes: Dementia carries many burdens. There [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in aged care, health and medical research, primary health care | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Chronic health problems and depression: what matters for patients

February 24, 2012 – 2:32 pm

In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports on a study investigating the relationship between chronic health problems and depression. The findings highlights the importance of maintaining quality of life for people with complex health problems.  *** The importance of patients’ perceptions in avoiding [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in chronic diseases, mental health, primary health care | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)