{"title":"Looking back on digital health and innovation in Australian general practice.","authors":"Darran Foo, Rahul Mohan, Rob Hosking","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-10-25-7871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-10-25-7871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over the last 3 decades, Australian general practice has undergone profound digital transformation. From handwritten prescriptions and paper files to comprehensive practice management systems, each technological wave has promised efficiency while introducing new layers of complexity.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Over the last 3 decades, Australian general practice has undergone profound digital transformation. From handwritten prescriptions and paper files to comprehensive practice management systems, each technological wave has promised efficiency while introducing new layers of complexity.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst, embedding telehealth and e-prescriptions as core elements of routine care. The emergence of cloud systems and artificial intelligence represents a new frontier, offering opportunities to streamline workflows and refocus care on the patient. Drawing lessons from past implementation efforts, this paper argues that success will depend on designing technologies grounded in usability, interoperability, equity and trust to ensure that innovation strengthens rather than fragments the therapeutic relationship.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"253-257"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"May 2026 Clinical challenge.","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"258"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Digital health inequity in Australian primary care.","authors":"John Furler, Lena Sanci, Rochelle Sleaby","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-10-25-7853","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-10-25-7853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Digital health interventions have the potential to improve health and wellbeing at both individual and population levels. However, the rapid development of digital health risks reinforcing existing health inequities. Addressing the digital divide is important for the sustainability of digital health innovations.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To examine definitions of digital healthcare access, identify challenges for patients, practitioners and the primary healthcare system, and propose practical strategies to reduce digital health inequities.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>For patients, barriers include limited access to reliable internet and devices, variable digital health literacy and concerns about trust and safety. For practitioners, technologies that are poorly integrated into clinical workflows might disrupt care and increase administrative burden. At a system level, mechanisms for the secure collection, exchange and ethical use of social determinants of health data remain underdeveloped. To realise its potential, digital health must be implemented in ways that reduce, not reinforce health inequities.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"259-263"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Targeted treatment, unintended breakouts: A case of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor-induced acneiform eruption.","authors":"Jim Muir, Brenda Ngo","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-05-25-7665","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-05-25-7665","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"289-292"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John W Adie, Nigel Barr, Nicole Masters, Michelle Murphy, Ben Adie
{"title":"Comparing evolving Australian urgent care clinic models to other established Western models.","authors":"John W Adie, Nigel Barr, Nicole Masters, Michelle Murphy, Ben Adie","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-03-25-7580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-03-25-7580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Method: </strong>A convenience sample of doctors working in UCCs since 1 July 2023 were invited to participate in an online survey. This was advertised through The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), The Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care (RNZCUC), corporate general practices, UCC peer groups and LinkedIn. RESULTS: A convenience sample of doctors working in UCCs since 1 July 2023 were invited to participate in an online survey. This was advertised through The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), The Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care (RNZCUC), corporate general practices, UCC peer groups and LinkedIn. DISCUSSION: Findings were compared with practices in other Western countries. This study highlights the potential for national standards to address unwarranted variation in health care delivery in Australian UCCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"297-305"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transient common peroneal nerve palsy following skin cancer excision in the popliteal fossa.","authors":"Steven Ma, Dai Tran","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-07-25-7749","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-07-25-7749","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"293-295"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A fortunate woman: A country doctor's story.","authors":"Hubert van Doorn","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"320"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Digital transformation in general practice: Two real-world case studies.","authors":"Darran Foo, Sean Stevens, Max Mollenkopf","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-10-25-7855","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-10-25-7855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The rapid expansion of digital health technologies is transforming Australian general practice, yet implementation approaches vary widely. OBJECTIVE: This case study compares two real-world general practices undertaking digital transformation through contrasting strategies. DISCUSSION: Practice A adopted an integration-first model within an on-premises desktop-based system, focusing on compatible tools such as an artificial intelligence (AI) scribe, automated correspondence management and analytics platforms. Practice B pursued a product-led strategy within a cloud-based practice management system, implementing patient portals, AI scribes and voice agents as part of a unified digital ecosystem. Both practices achieved meaningful reductions in administrative workload and improved clinician efficiency, while maintaining patient satisfaction and safety. Their experiences highlight that success depends less on specific technologies and more on alignment between digital strategy, infrastructure and governance, with each approach offering valuable lessons for practices navigating digital change.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"265-266"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"When care becomes a complaint: A general practitioner's perspective.","authors":"Christopher Watson","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-09-25-7825","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-09-25-7825","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"55 5","pages":"319"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}