‘Swiss Army knife’ GPs put country practices on cutting edge

As a rural doctor, I am passionate about country Australia and rural medicine.

As a rural doctor, I am passionate about country Australia and rural medicine.

I live in a fantastic rural town. I have the privilege of caring for generations of the same families.

My work is varied and interesting, ranging from general practice through to hospital care. And I get to work alongside highly talented clinicians who are among the best doctors Australia has ­produced.

But there are still challenges, even when you live in paradise.

For many rural Australians, some of the biggest challenges ­revolve around healthcare. Those living in the bush have poorer health outcomes than their city counterparts.

Some of this is ­because of lifestyle factors (more rural Australians have a poor diet, smoke and are overweight), but it is much more about not having the same level of access to local healthcare.

For many rural Australians, particularly those on farming properties, your local doctor might be 100km or more away, making it less likely you will give up a day of work to drive there for a health check, despite the fact it could save your life.

If you need treatment for something serious such as cancer, the ­tyranny of distance — and the cost of travelling away for treatment, coupled with weeks away from work or the farm, and family — may mean that you opt not to proceed down the treatment ­pathway.

If you are a pregnant rural woman, you may find your closest hospital no longer has a maternity unit, meaning you need to travel to a distant hospital weeks in ­advance in preparation to deliver.

But there is light on the horizon.

There are now ample young doctors graduating from our universities and steps are in place to encourage more of them to be the next generation of rural generalist doctors across country Australia.

These doctors work not only as GPs but they also have advanced skills in areas ranging from obstetrics, anaesthetics and general ­surgery through to pediatrics, ­advanced mental healthcare and indigenous healthcare.

This makes rural generalist doctors the “Swiss Army knife” of medical care, and the most versatile type of doctor you can have in a small community.

The federal government is driving the establishment of a national rural generalist pathway to train and deliver more of these doctors, and we hope its implementation will begin next year.

The advent of telehealth is also making it easier for rural patients to access care from distant specialists. Sitting alongside their local doctor, patients can attend an ­online consultation with their specialist to follow up on management of their condition — all without having to leave town.

Telehealth also is playing a significant role in enabling rural and remote Australians to access Medicare-rebated mental healthcare, particularly as the pressures of prolonged drought kick in.

There is significantly more ­potential for expanded telehealth initiatives to bridge the gap in healthcare access and in enabling rural GPs to provide telehealth services is a key part of the ­solution.

There’s still much to be done but the future is starting to look a little healthier for those living in the bush.

Adam Coltzau is president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia.