News

We registered for MyMedicare – now you can too

Lejeune Family Medical Practice has joined thousands of healthcare providers across Australia in registering in MyMedicare, a new voluntary registration system that will help us formalise the relationship between us and our patients.

MyMedicare allows you to nominate a general practice and general practitioner as your regular healthcare provider. When you register in MyMedicare, extra funding from the Australian Government becomes available to support our practice to provide more of the targeted care you need.

Patients who register with our practice in MyMedicare may benefit from:

  • longer MBS-funded telephone consultations, from 1 November 2023
  • longer bulk billed telehealth consultations for children under 16 and Commonwealth concession card holders at the new triple bulk billing rate, from 1 November 2023
  • more regular visits from their GP and better care planning for people living in a Residential Aged Care Home, from August 2024
  • connections to more appropriate care in general practice for people with chronic conditions who visit hospital frequently, from mid-2024.

Formalising the patient-practice relationship, like with MyMedicare, has been shown to improve health and wellbeing, and that is why we are inviting all of our regular patients to register in MyMedicare.

Registration is easy. To register as a MyMedicare patient, you can:

  • fill out a paper registration form at our practice
  • complete the registration process in your Medicare Online Account
  • ask our team to start the registration process – you can then complete registration in your Medicare Online Account.

Ask about MyMedicare next time you talk to us. For more information visit health.gov.au/mymedicare

 

Yellow Fever Vaccination

Lejeune Family Medical Practice is a fully accredited Yellow Fever vaccination clinic and provides the vaccine and certificate at a cost of $132.

Travelling to Africa, the Caribbean, Central or South America? You will need to obtain a Yellow Fever vaccination and provide a vaccination certificate to enter and leave a Yellow Fever declared country.
The Australian Government is adopting World Health Organisation advice that the period of protection afforded by yellow fever vaccination will change from 10 years to the duration of the life of the person vaccinated. These changes will take effect on 16 June 2016.

Visit the Department of Health website to view the yellow fever vaccination updateYellow fever is frequently fatal for those who have not been vaccinated.

Aged 40-49?

Are you at risk of developing diabetes in the next 5 years?

If you are 40-49 years old and have excess weight around your middle, then you might be at risk of developing health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Type 2 diabetes is a largely preventable chronic disease that is becoming increasingly common in Australia. If undetected or poorly controlled, type 2 diabetes can result in acute and long term complications, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and circulation problems leading to kidney damage and foot and eye problems.

By taking a few minutes when next visiting our surgery, to complete the AUSDRISK (Type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool), factors contributing to a high risk score of 12 or more are reviewed and a health assessment instigated. Clinical trials provide strong evidence that progression to type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with early intervention. Your GP may refer you to a subsidised lifestyle modification program if appropriate, where the aim is to help people modify risk factors to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Our front desk staff will be happy to make the appropriate arrangement when you call for your appointment, simply let them know that you are interested in completing the diabetes risk assessment.

Medicine Insight Program

Lejeune Medical Practice participates in the Medicine Insight Program.

Opt-Out forms are available under our TV in the Lejeune waiting area if you do not wish to participate in the above program you can download here and hand back to receptionist.

 Home Medicine Review

What is a Home Medication Review (HMR)?

A HMR is an interview that is conducted by an accredited pharmacist with the intention of maximizing therapeutic gains and minimizing problems associated with taking prescription and non-prescription products.

Who can have a HMR?You are eligible for a HMR if you meet any one of the following standards: 

  • you are currently taking five or more regular medicines, or
  • you are taking more than 12 doses of medicine per day, or  
  • you have had a significant change to your medicine(s) in the last three months, or
  • you have been recently discharge from hospital, or
  • you are taking medicine with a narrow therapeutic index or required therapeutic monitoring (e.g., digoxin, warfarin, thyroxine, plus many other    medications), or
  • you are experiencing symptoms suggestive of an adverse drug reaction, or
  • you are having difficulty managing your own medicines because of literacy or language difficulties,  or impaired sight, or
  • you are attending a number of different doctors, both general practitioners and specialists.

What is the purpose of a medication review?

The objectives of HMR are to:

  • achieve safe, effective, and appropriate use of medicines by detecting and addressing medicine-related problems that interfere with desired patient outcomes
  • improve the patient’s quality of life and health outcomes using a best practice approach, that involves cooperation between the general practitioner, pharmacist, other relevant health professionals and the patient (and where appropriate, their carer)
  • improve the patient’s, and health professional’s knowledge and understanding about medicines
  • facilitate cooperative working relationships between members of the health care team in the interests of patient health and wellbeing.

Confidentiality:

All information is confidential. The information from the individual’s record can only be given to the pharmacist conducting the review, with the patient’s consent. Input from each person involved in the review process is documented in the review report, as well as the recommendations and management plan.  The general practitioner will hold a copy and the consumer’s pharmacy will keep a full record for auditing purposes

Cost:The HMR is completely free for the patient, irrespective of your employment status, income etc. It is not a means tested health service.

The Pharmacist.

I have been accredited with Medicare to conduct medication reviews since 1997. I also conduct reviews on behalf of six local pharmacies.
Mr John Wilks B.Pharm., MPS., AACPA
Consultant Pharmacist.