CURRENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

The programs of the Division are grouped under four major headings:

Integrated Systems of Care Diabetes

The Diabetes Program has been in operation since 1994, although the strategies and activities have evolved over time. The Diabetes Program is expanding the number and range of activities for GPs in the mini-clinics as facilitated by the Division. The Diabetes Program is also extensively involved in the Diabetes in the West Pathway which involves four other organisations aimed at facilitating integrated pathways for GPs to refer their patients which includes agreed use of referral forms using the Enhanced Primary Care MBS items.

Enhanced Primary Care

The Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Program has developed as a result of changes to the MBS Schedule. A key direction for this program involves the establishment of collaborative working relationships with other community health organisations to facilitate referral pathways for GPs to uptake the EPC items.

Obstetric and Early Infancy Shared Care

The Obstetric Shared Care Program commenced in 1995. The Program now caters for over 500 patients per annum. A Protocol Booklet has been developed, and a GP accreditation program is offered to GPs each year in conjunction with the Adelaide Central and Eastern Division of General Practice. The Program has been externally evaluated by the University of Adelaide and has been found to be more cost effective than traditional hospital-based obstetric care, as well as achieving high standards of health outcomes for mothers and babies.

Respiratory Early Intervention

The Program provides GPs with the opportunity to establish respiratory clinics in their practice including the use of highly trained respiratory nurses and access to the latest in spirometry technology. Results have been highly successful, and two academic articles have been published.

General Practice Quality Enhancement Program GP Education and Training

The GP Education and Training Program has been in operation since 1994 and has evolved. A key component of the program is the strong Continuing Medical Education (CME) program run by the Division.

Information Technology

The Division has a fully outfitted laboratory classroom comprising eight computers for use by GPs. Training sessions are held on a regular basis to help GPs and practice staff become familiar with medical software. In addition, the Information Technology Project Officer provides on-the-ground support for GPs in their practices. The Project liaises closely with the other programs of the Division regarding the introduction of technology.

Immunisation and Infection Control

The Program provides support for GPs and their practice staff. The Local Immunisation Co-ordinator employed by the Division has developed a comprehensive resource folder for GPs. Thermometers were distributed free to all practices and practical support was provided to all practices to help improve their cold chain maintenance. A Vaccine Services directory of the Western suburbs has also been produced. An important goal of the Division is to achieve an overall immunisation coverage rate of 90% by December 2000 and, significantly, to sustain this level in years to come.

Developmental Activities Mental Health

A key component of the Mental Health Program is the Guidelines for Depression in Young People (GDIYP) project. So far a number of very successful Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs have been run in conjunction with the North West Adelaide Mental Health Service. The project officer for GDIYP has established contacts with a number of local organisations including schools and youth theatre groups in order to establish stronger links between GPs and youth-related organisations. The expansion of the Mental Health program is a high priority of the Division, given the needs analysis which showed that so many people suffer from depression in the west. The expansion includes stronger links with the North West Adelaide Mental health Service and joint development of CME training for GPs.

Cardiovascular Disease

The Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) program includes two components: A GP education program including cardiovascular clinical attachments for GPs at a local Hospital; and an Action against Risk Checklist (ARC) which involves the development of an information management system to enable recall of high risk patients. Seeding funding will enable the use of marketing methodology to test and improve the feasibility of the ARC.

Community Liaison

A key component of the Community Liaison Program includes Family Doctor Week where the Division actively promotes the role of GPs in active displays in two major local shopping centers. GPs are present at the displays and provide health checks to shoppers. Another key component of the liaison program is the production of a Directory of GPs in the West. This is distributed widely to many community groups in the west. The Division now has a well established annual cycle of consultation with stakeholders and consumers which includes the use of consumer focus groups to improve the quality of programs to GPs and their patients.

Strengthening the links of the Division with community organisations is an ongoing priority and, in particular, the development of formal commitments to work together, such as through Memorandums of Understanding are considered to be clear measurable outcomes of the effectiveness of the Divisions Community Liaison Program.

Other Projects

The Division participates in a number of joint activities including:

• General Practitioner Information Management Company (GPIMC)
• SA Divisions of General Practice Inc (SADI)
• SA Health Plus (no longer in operation)
• Asthma SA
• Diabetes in the Family Project
• Cervix Screening
• Medicare Australia
• Parks Community Health Centre
• Ashford Education Centre

PREVIOUS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

• Aboriginal Diabetes Project
• Community Participation Project
• Donne Oggi Project
• GP Attachments to The
• Queen Elizabeth Hospital
• Home Support Program
• NESB Cervix Screening Project
• Obstetric Shared Care Project
• Pregnancy Support Project
• Refugee Awareness Project
• Respiratory Shared Care Project
• Slow Stream Rehabilitation Project
• South-East Asian Family
• Health Project
• Treating Anxiety Disorders in General Practice
• Western Area Breast-Feeding Support Project
• Western Diabetes Project