ThinkGP Education

This Active Learning Module has been developed to support your work in preventing major chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It will focus on lifestyle risk factors known to be linked to these major chronic diseases: smoking, hazardous alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and overweight and obesity.

This education discusses the reasons why it is important for general practices to have systems in place to identify their patients who are Aboriginal. The education discusses the specific Medicare item numbers applicable to Aboriginal patients, as well as other specific initiatives. The barriers to care are discussed and methods to overcome these are explored. The role of these initiatives and item numbers in patient management is discussed.

This activity reviews the various types of chronic leg ulcers, their causes and predisposing factors. The activity encompasses the various types of dressings available and provides a guide to the choice of the appropriate dressing.

This education covers the incidence of sun related skin cancers in Australia and discusses the link between UV exposure and skin cancer. Safe UV exposure is explored. Methods of full skin examination are described and the various biopsy techniques are detailed and their advantages and indications clarified. The diagnosis and management of In situ keratonocytic tumours is discussed.

This education discusses melanoma in detail, including the Epidemiology, clinical diagnosis, dermoscopy and imaging, management and review of the pathology report with follow up. Referral to, and the options available at, melanoma units is also discussed. The education is illustrated with naked eye and dermoscopic images of melanoma to illustrate the clinical diagnosis and differentiation from other pigmented skin lesions.

This activity covers the assessment, diagnosis and management of issues related to sexuality in patients who have had cancer, and in their partners. The education will address the features related to the consequences of both the disease and its management. Options for solutions to minimise the impact of the disease on patients will be discussed as will methods of addressing the concerns raised by patients in relation to their sexuality following cancer.

This educational activity will cover the cardiovascular risk in patients aged over 55 years who have diabetes. This topic will be discussed in terms of the associated risk factors of lipids, hypertension and blood glucose levels. The education will detail the management of cardiovascular disease in terms of chronic disease management incorporating practice systems and access to current Medicare initiatives.