Further to below: 1) It's already happening in Tassie - http://www.gpat.com.au
2) My local federal member, Greg Hunt, has contacted me and would like further information on the concept/ proposal - I will be meeting with him over the weekend. John Mac > John Mackenzie wrote: >Sir, > >I wish to draw your attention to the rural GP shortage ... >Whilst there is more than one cause for this, an important >factor is the burden of after hours care causing sleep >deprivation, exhaustion and burn out. > >In the many smaller rural hospitals unable to distribute this >after hours burden amongst several GPs, I believe that it would >be possible to implement a system with a remote "1st on-call" >doctor/GP able to manage most after hours problems. There >would still need to be a local GP available as "2nd on-call" >for circumstances unable to be managed remotely, but the >overall reduction in after hours calls and sleep deprivation >to rural GPs would be of great benefit to themselves and the >safety of their patients. > >The technology is now available to implement this concept, but >there are hurdles to overcome: > >1) The rural hospital should use _electronic health records_ which >can be accessed remotely using _virtual private networking_ - >rural hospitals would need this to be set up by IT techies, and >nursing and medical staff would need some training to adapt >to the new computerised medical record system. > >2) There would need to be a "panel" of suitably trained/experienced >doctors to be remotely on-call for these smaller rural hospitals. >Theoretically it would be possible for all rural hospitals throughout >Australia to be covered from 10pm to 8am by remote on-call doctors >working shifts in W.A. from 8pm to 2am and then an eastern state >from 4am to 10am. > > >This is the concept for which I have no vested interest other than a >wish to help rural >GPs and their patients. Hoping the idea is of interest. > >Yours respectfully, > >Dr John Mackenzie (Monash 1974) >Westernport Medical Centre >4 Mornington-Tyabb Rd, Tyabb 3913. >- past Chairman MPDGP >- past secretary AMA Peninsula subdivision > _______________________________________________ Gpcg_talk mailing list [email protected] http://ozdocit.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gpcg_talk
