Australia - New online training: putting diabetes guidelines into practice

Citation

(2010), "Australia - New online training: putting diabetes guidelines into practice", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 23 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2010.06223fab.005

Australia - New online training: putting diabetes guidelines into practice

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 23, Issue 6

Keywords: Management of diabetes, Primary care management, Diabetic guidelines for general practice

Diabetes guidelines and their application in general practice is the focus of a new active learning module (ALM) from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). The online activity has been designed to help provide optimal primary care management to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This activity aims to improve the duration and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes by examining and implementing the new Diabetes Guidelines for General Practice 2009-2010.

RACGP President Dr Chris Mitchell said that general practitioners are often the first point of contact in the health system for people with type 2 diabetes.

“The complexity of treatment for this common disease requires systematic care from the teams within and around our practices.

“Diabetes is a serious health condition. If left undiagnosed or poorly controlled, diabetes cause coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetic neuropathy, renal failure, amputations and blindness. However, if diagnosed early by general practitioners, diabetes can be effectively managed and the risk of serious health problems greatly reduced”, he said.

By the end of this GP learning activity participants should be able to:

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  Recognise the clinical presentations of diabetes.

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  Assess the risk of an individual developing diabetes using the Australian type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool (AUSDRISK).

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  Identify specific high-risk groups.

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  Identify the key features of the initial and ongoing assessment.

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  Relate each key assessment feature to the prevention of short and long-term complications of diabetes through drug and non-drug treatments.

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  Describe the role of the multidisciplinary team, the general practice management plan and team care arrangements in managing diabetes.

The Putting diabetes guidelines into practice online activity has been developed by gplearning as part of the clinical practice guidelines dissemination and implementation project, which is supported by funding from the Australian Government to maximise effective and widespread delivery of current health care information and service strategies to healthcare professionals.

This activity takes around three hours and is suitable for general practitioners, medical students, and practice nurses. There is a related activity for practice managers.

Completion of the activity is approved for six category 2 points in the RACGP QA&CPD Program. This activity has also been endorsed by APEC number 018030901 as authorised by Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) according to approved criteria. Completion attracts three RCNA Continuing Nurse Education (CNE) points as part of RCNA’s Life Long Learning program (3LP).

For more information: www.aushealthcare.com.au