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Practice Support
Accreditation - Continuous Quality Improvement
The CQI Program offers direct support to assist member practices gain accreditation and also provides ongoing support for all aspects of re accreditation
Useful links to General Practice Accreditation bodies:-
Australian General Practice Accreditation Ltd
Ph: 1300 362 111
GPA Accreditation Plus
Ph: 1800 188 088
Accreditation Support
GP Members and practice staff have access to telephone "hotline" support for any accreditation or sterilization issue. Solo practices, in particular are offered specialised assistance as needed.
Individual practice visits provide assistance with any aspectof the accreditation or reaccreditation process including accreditation support visits, 3rd Edition Patient Feedback Surveys and mock survey visits.
Information on interpretation of the standards and assistance with compliance and implementation is also offered. Practice visits offering on site training to all practice staff and Continous Professional Development acitivities are conducted to keep practices informed about the accreditation process and the RACGP Standards.
Accreditation Resources
Dandenong Division is fortunate to be able to draw on the skills of experienced surveyors working with our division to inform the development of our accreditation resources. This group meets quarterly and consists of eleven surveyors, being General Practitioners and Practice Managers with a combined 150 years of surveying experience.
Policy& Procedure Manual
A Generic Policy & Procedure manual has been developed for practices to tailor to their individual practice needs. This manual is based on the RACGP Standards for General Practice and has been reviewed by AGPAL & GPA.. It is highly recommended to all practices undertaking the accreditation process. The manual can be downloaded from the division web site. It is recommended any updates to policies and new additions are also
downloaded annually.
Triage Guide
The DCGPA Triage Support Guide is based on the POPGUNS tool developed by SE NSW Division of General Practice and consists of a quick reference wall chart and a triage support handbook. The wall chart must be used in conjunction with the Triage Support Handbook. The triage guide can be downloaded or purchased from the division by emailing or phoning. This guide aims to assist receptionists to categorize patients into different levels of priority, based on the symptoms described or observed. Once the category is determined the prompts on the wall chart guide appropriate actions, such as whether to interrupt the GP immediately or discuss with GP or nurse as soon as possible. Forphone inssuggested advice, such as, calling an ambulance, going to casualty or coming into the surgery, is also listed according to the category selected. There is also advice about initial first aid and alerts to possible changes in patients symptoms that might require re-prioritizing a patient to a more urgent category.
Business Issues
(incl Accounting / Industrial Relations / Risk Management / OH & S)
The Association can advise and direct Members /
Further information can be found under Resources / General Practice Support click on headings as follows:-
Business Issues
Risk Management
GP Health
There is abundant evidence in literature that the advice GPs give to their patients is very much influenced by their own health habits.
In Victoria, 57% of GPs do not have their own GP, 13% nominate themselves as their own GP and 31% a professional partner.
Within the Medical Profession, GPs, especially those in single practice , have the highest mortality rates and the lowest life expectancy of all doctors.
For all these reasons, we have developed our Practitioner Health webpage. Take a look at the Just Do It! Catalogue, a shopping list to take with you to your own GP for a wellbeing assessment. Browse through our tips for healthy eating and recreation ideas. These can be found in our Resources Section (Docs for Docs.) Click here for monthly newsletter articles
And, if you dont have your own GP we have a list of GPs for Practitioners available by emailing or phoning Stephanie at the Association on 8792 1900. GPs from the local area and as far away as the Peninsula for greater privacy are listed.
^ back to topInformatics
What is Argus ?
Argus is a computer program that enables health service providers to securely exchange clinical documents between their computer systems via email.
Argus can provide doctors and other healthcare providers with access to pathology and imaging results, specialist letters, admission and discharge summaries, emergency department notifications and other related documents electronically and can import these documents into the patient notes. With Argus, a doctor can also transmit a pathology request, specialist referral, or compile and send a health summary to another doctor.
Because Argus uses open, commonly-used internet technologies (e.g. email) other healthcare providers can implement Argus easily and cheaply. Also, doctors can choose whichever Internet Service Provider they prefer.
www.argusconnect.com.au
What is 2 Hippo ?
2hippo is an instant secure document transfer program that enables just about any form of document to be transferred in an encrypted electronic form with a validating electronic government issued HeSa PKI signature. The process is medico legally significant because it is more completely audited than most comparable programs and demonstrates when the document was created, sent, received and opened and by which PKI password holders. This audit pathway is available to both author and recipient for all documents at all times forever - so the author can see when the recipient opened the document as well as when it was received and vice versa. The documents can only be read by the recipient or author and remain unreadable and encrypted to everyone including the internet provider throughout its internet journey. It encrypts a wide and diverse range of documents like word, text, spreadsheet, images and graphics like photos, CTGs & ECGs and Powerpoint presentations without special preparation because the software masquerades as a printer and only needs one or two mouse clicks more than the usual print command. It is readily configured by the user to work with any program who can direct the incoming information to the destination file, including patient notes, or device of their choice either in a variety of electronic formats, as a fax or a printed output at a designated device . The program is downloaded and maintained constantly and unobtrusively in the background from the Internet with excellent tutorials, on line and telephone support and does not require on site technician support. It helps practitioners fulfil the PIP requirement for secure encrypted communications and is a valid referral process because of the validating government issued electronic signature which enables email medication orders and other instructions to be issued to nursing homes and hospitals without the need for follow up manual signatures. The subscription is inexpensive and independent of the internet service provider. 2hippo software as described has been used in the clinical setting for more than 3 years.
www.2hippo.com
Related Pages
RESOURCES: Includes info on PKI / Software User Guides / Electronic Templates / SEPIX
^ back to topPractice Managers / Nurses
Network Meetings
The Practice Managers group and Practice Nurses group meet on the first Wednesday of alternate months. The purpose of the groups is to facilitate networking between practice staff and to provide up to date information on a range of interesting and relevant topics.
Each clinic is sent an invitation via Fax Stream and upcoming topics are listed on the Associations' web-site under latest events in addition to being promoted on the relevant network email.
Practice Managers & Practice Nurse E-mail networks
Practice managers and practice nurses are encouraged to join their peer email network. Information about upcoming events, useful resources, industry changes and division activities can be sent directly to you via the network. In addition, the opportunity to share information, seek ideas or find new resources is provided through this network.
To register your details to join either the Practice Managers Network or the Practice Nurses Network please email: s.edmonds@ddcgpa.com.au
PRACTICE NURSES
The Nursing in General Practice Recruitment and Orientation Resource is now available.
The Recruitment and Orientation Resource is designed to assist in the recruitment and orientation of nurses into the general practice setting. The resource has been developed utilising and building on existing resources from Divisions of General Practice. It is applicable to a national audience and will provide information and resources for the employer, all members of the general practice team, Divisions of General Practice and nurses new to general practice.
To access the Resource click http://www.adgp.com.au/site/index.cfm?display=13887
Project partners were the Australian Nursing Federation and the Australian Practice Nurses Association. The project was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
The latest edition of the monthly GPDV Practice Nurse Training Calendar is now available under the Resources section of this site click here to view.
Further information available under resources check also the Division Newsletters
^ back to topQA & CPD
(Quality Assurance and Continuing Professional Development)
QA & CPD
The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program provides a range of clinical and business related educational sessions that are accredited for CPD Points by the
The CPD Subcommittee meets bi-monthly and ensures activities provided are of a high quality and relevant to General Practice. Information about upcoming activities is placed in the Associations newsletter, posted on the website under coming events, emailed in the fortnightly E-news and sent out to all GP members.
The new program aims to support GPs individual needs by enabling GPs to self record activities not accredited within the QA&CPD, has an emphasis on patient safety and quality improvement and now requires GPs to complete a basic CPR course. If you need further information on the requirements for the new triennium please contact the RACGP on 03 8699 0483.
The RACGP QA&CPD 2008-2010 Triennium Requirements
For full details of 2008 - 2010 triennium requirements click here