{"title":"Disaster planning in general practice.","authors":"Rowena Ivers, Catherine Pendrey, Penelope Burns, Duncan McKinnon, Charlotte Hespe, Declan Mulvaney","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-06-24-7315","DOIUrl":"10.31128/AJGP-06-24-7315","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Climate change means that disasters such as bushfires, heatwaves, storms and floods are becoming more frequent and severe, and thus having greater impact on general practices and communities. OBJECTIVE: To provide a concise introduction to disaster planning for those who are new to Australian general practice or to general practice ownership.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The Standards for General Practice, published by The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), provide guidance on business continuity, including during disasters. As part of practice accreditation, practices are required to prepare a disaster plan, which should be based on local research regarding likelihood of hazard or disaster scenarios, and contain information on disaster coordination and communication and an emergency contact list. Planning should also involve preparation of an emergency kit, provisions for different hazards, practising the disaster plan and clear communications to trigger the disaster response. Plans should be rapidly implemented during disasters and reviewed following disaster events.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"56-61"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257338","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}
Penelope Burns, Elizabeth Reay, Kate Sandy, Nina Robertson
{"title":"Situation report: Australian general practitioners in disaster health management.","authors":"Penelope Burns, Elizabeth Reay, Kate Sandy, Nina Robertson","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-06-24-7325","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-06-24-7325","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>After decades of debate, Australian general practitioners (GPs) are being integrated into disaster health management (DHM) systems.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This article outlines the evolving integration of GPs into DHM in Australia and discusses key DHM concepts and systems GPs need to know.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The aim of disaster response is a unified efficient whole-of-health response based on a multidisciplinary pre-planned, pre exercised system. Each discipline must have a clear understanding of how the system works and where they fit within the response. GPs' link to the DHM system is through the local Primary Health Network that links to the broader disaster health response through the local health service areas. This article outlines the evolving integration of GPs into DHM in Australia. Although there is a long way to go before there is full integration of GPs consistently across all local health service areas, without linkage to the broader disaster response, GPs risk being unsupported, isolated and less effective in their response.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"16-24"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257377","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":"Granular parakeratosis associated with benzalkonium chloride exposure.","authors":"Arabella English, Alexandra Mortimore","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-05-24-7254","DOIUrl":"10.31128/AJGP-05-24-7254","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"73-74"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257340","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}
Anthony Harris, Matthew Barton, Lakna Waniganayake, Valsamma Eapen, Michelle Hamrosi
{"title":"Heat and mental health.","authors":"Anthony Harris, Matthew Barton, Lakna Waniganayake, Valsamma Eapen, Michelle Hamrosi","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-07-24-7336","DOIUrl":"10.31128/AJGP-07-24-7336","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Climate change is increasing the risk of exposure to extreme heat. The potential harms from such exposure are not distributed evenly through the population but are concentrated in groups such as the elderly, children and those with severe mental illness (SMI). General practitioners (GPs) are on the frontline of managing vulnerable people with SMI.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this article is to discuss the problem that extreme heat poses for mental health and to provide examples of how these problems can be anticipated and mitigated.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Awareness of the challenge of climate change is high. GPs are in an excellent position to identify those at increased risk of poor health outcomes secondary to extreme heat or drought and to prevent or mitigate these outcomes. These responses need to be placed within a broader model of care for best effect.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"62-65"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257371","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":"Disaster management.","authors":"Penelope Burns, Michael Kidd, Michelle Hamrosi","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-07-24-7357","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-07-24-7357","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257336","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}
Benjamin Jones, Angus W Turner, James Marangou, Jennifer Yan, Paul Burgess, Alex Kaethner, Natasha Howard, Mike English, Shobhana Nagraj, Joshua R Francis
{"title":"Recommendations for implementing rheumatic heart disease echocardiographic detection in remote Australia: A narrative review and lesson-drawing from diabetic retinopathy screening.","authors":"Benjamin Jones, Angus W Turner, James Marangou, Jennifer Yan, Paul Burgess, Alex Kaethner, Natasha Howard, Mike English, Shobhana Nagraj, Joshua R Francis","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-05-24-7294","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-05-24-7294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Australia has some communities with the highest rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the world. Echocardiographic detection of RHD through active case finding has been proposed for early detection. Lessons can be learnt from the implementation of a similar program - diabetic retinopathy screening. The aim of this paper is to identify transferable lessons from the implementation of diabetic retinopathy screening that could be applied to RHD echocardiographic detection.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This paper presents a narrative review and expert recommendations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Transferable lessons from the implementation of diabetic retinopathy screening include training local staff regularly with formal certification; supplementary health promotion; program champions; general practitioner involvement; informing all staff at clinics; creating separate Medicare Benefits Schedule items for acquisition and interpretation; using echocardiography for detection and monitoring of RHD; establishing referral pathways and communication channels; local community involvement in implementation planning; and developing an adaptable program.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Implementing programs successfully and sustainably in remote communities is known to be challenging. These transferable lessons from the implementation of diabetic retinopathy screening might assist in the planning of an RHD detection program.</p>","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"75-79"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257376","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":"Introducing new <i>AJGP</i> initiatives.","authors":"","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-01-25-1234e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-01-25-1234e","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257373","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":"January-February 2025 correspondence.","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"54 1-2","pages":"11-15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257374","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":"Once bitten, twice shy: Antimicrobial stewardship in the setting of arthropod-associated superficial lymphangitis.","authors":"Melinda Jiang, Christina Guo, Stephen Bacchi","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-04-24-7220","DOIUrl":"10.31128/AJGP-04-24-7220","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"53 12 Suppl","pages":"S68-S70"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142856651","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":"Guest editorial: Times of change and opportunity for Australian general practice training.","authors":"James Brown","doi":"10.31128/AJGP-10-24-7440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-10-24-7440","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54241,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of General Practice","volume":"53 12","pages":"887"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142774748","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}