The winners of the Prevention in General Practice Awards 2009 have been announced.
The Victorian General Practice Prevention Alliance (VGPPA) would like to thank all award entrants and to congratulate this year's winners. They are an excellent example of the important role that general practice can play in primary prevention.
General Practice Winner
InterHealth Medical Clinic – Dingley and Cheltenham (PDF)
Targeting patients at risk of type 2 diabetes – InterHealth Medical Clinic/Cheltenham Medical Centre successfully demonstrated a proactive and ‘whole of practice’ approach to primary prevention.
The implementation of a “Great Health; Great Life” community program at the practice was of particular note. This comprehensive program includes local walking groups catering for a variety of ages and fitness levels and education sessions promoting health and well being, by addressing the risk factors of smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol misuse, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity (SNAPO).
The entry highlighted a good use of assessment tools and practice systems to identify patients who would benefit from the program and to implement the prevention initiatives. A wide variety of resources and methods were used to encourage patient participation as well as linking and involving local allied health, pharmacy, community health services, Division of general practice, local press and support networks. Results include increased patient motivation and improved patient outcomes.
The sustainability of the program is maintained by regular practice meetings to keep practice staff up to date, the wide variety of patient engagement techniques and the integration of practice systems to ensure eligible patients are constantly identified.
General Practice Highly Commended
Carnegie Medical Centre (PDF)
The Carnegie Medical Centre initiated a ‘Smoke Free Clinic’ coordinated by the Practice Nurse with the support of the GPs. The model incorporated a team based patient centred approach to smoking cessation using a variety of support mechanisms including SMS messaging to the patient. The consultations were based on a cessation plan which incorporated discussion on patient motivation, triggers and obstacles to smoking cessation, advice on diet and exercise and the use of relevant tools and supports. These sessions are bulk billed to improve access for all eligible patients.
The practice utilised the Pen Computer Systems Clinical Audit Tool to identify smokers within the practice population and to monitor over time for evaluation purposes. The local Division has supported the practice in this work.
Many referrals come from the GPs and the practice nurse who promote the smoke free clinic in other lifestyle management and health assessments, but local promotional materials have been develop to encourage self referral.
Evaluation of the program continues, however early results have been positive and there have been some great success stories so far.
Division Winner
Knox Division of General Practice (PDF)
Knox Division of General Practice enjoys a high level of GP, Practice Nurse and practice staff participation. To ensure ongoing relevance of Division activities, existing services are reviewed on an annual basis and new services trialled in clinics.
Knox utilises the RACGP Green and Red Book as the foundation of their prevention activities and their 3 distinct units work together to support practice prevention needs. Knox provides a Referral Links Program service which provides information to its members to assist them to find appropriate specialist and allied health services for their patients.
Chronic disease prevention is a priority for the division and as a result they have introduced the PEN clinical audit tool into 70% of practices allowing more proactive targeting of at risk patient populations. They also undertake chronic disease roadshows tailored to the needs of individual practices, offer the Life diabetes prevention program and have run community events focusing on Men’s health.
Knox intends to build on this outstanding work by introducing lunchtime chronic disease prevention sessions in workplaces promoting the role of practice nurses in chronic disease prevention and through the provision of a nurse floater that would provide additional chronic disease prevention capacity across the region.
About the Awards
The aims of the VGPPA awards were to inspire practices to become more proactive in primary prevention, encourage divisions of general practice to assist implementation of primary prevention activities and to recognise commitment to systematic prevention activities.
We wish to recognise and reward current processes within general practice around chronic disease prevention and encourage more practices to undertake similar activities.
Summary of Entries
The VGPPA was very pleased with the quality standard of entries to the Prevention in General Practice Awards 2009. Activities that were put forward for nomination covered a wide range of topics and addressed many issues in the area of primary prevention of chronic disease. (PDF)
Our judging panel were very impressed by the level of commitment of practice staff and participating patients; the excellent examples of how to engage patients; providing lifestyle risk factor education; establishing support groups; and being proactive in patient care by adopting systems and processes that can prevent the onset of chronic disease.
We look forward to further showcasing the outstanding work that Victorian general practice is undertaking in chronic disease prevention.
These General Practices and Divisions of General Practice have demonstrated commitment to chronic disease prevention in general practice:
Berwick Medical Centre
Carnegie Medical Centre
Doutta Galla Community Health Service
GPG GP Clinic
Hennessy Clinic
InterHealth Medical Clinic
Knoxfield Medical Centre
Melbourne Wholistic Medicine
Peninsula Family General Practice
Robinson Street Medical Centre
South East HealthCare
Terang Medical Clinic
The Harding Street Medical Centre
Western Road Medical Centre
Bayside General Practice Network
Dandenong Casey General Practice Association
Monash Division of General Practice
Knox Division of General Practice
Contact:
For further information about the Victorian General Practice Prevention
Alliance, please contact the secretariat Heart Foundation (Victoria) on
(03) 9321 1530 or click
here for email.