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Suspension of colonoscopy recertification program update
Apr 22, 2020The Gastroenterology Society of Australia (GESA) has notified ACRRM that this Program has been suspended until 30 September 2020. -
Cervical Screening during COVID-19 – Message from the National Cervical Screening Program
Apr 22, 2020The National Cervical Screening Program is encouraging healthcare providers to continue to offer routine screening and follow up. -
MBS Telehealth Expansion – Changes announced on 20 April 2020
Apr 21, 2020As of 20 April 2020, specialist and allied health service providers are no longer required to bulk bill telehealth items. Providers are expected to obtain informed financial consent from patients prior to providing the service; providing details regarding their fees, including any out-of-pocket costs. -
JOINT RELEASE: Rural doctors welcome boost to COVID-19 aeromedical support
Apr 21, 2020Australia’s peak rural doctor bodies have welcomed $52 million in Federal Government support for aeromedical organisations to provide additional retrievals, and other assistance, to rural and remote communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
JOINT RELEASE: COVID-19 testing: timely results critical to expansion success
Apr 18, 2020Fast turnaround on test results is the key to protecting rural Australia from COVID-19 outbreaks. Rural peak bodies, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) are calling for investment in strategies to reduce the time it takes between testing and results, for people in the bush. -
New position statement: RANZCR advice on appropriate use of CT throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Apr 17, 2020RANZCR has released a position statement on the appropriate use of CT during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in relation to patients undergoing emergency surgery. -
ACRRM proud to support Gowns for Doctors
Apr 16, 2020ACRRM is proud to be a major supporter of ‘Gowns for Doctors’, a voluntary project coordinated by two Bendigo GPs who are making and delivering gowns to support health workers during the COVID-19 PPE crisis. ACRRM support will see up to 1000 additional gowns being created and sent to practices in rural and regional Victoria – with a strong potential for the project to go national. -
Release of Resources for Medication Management in Cancer Care
Apr 16, 2020The Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care has published a range of resources to support cancer care services to implement the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. -
JOINT RELEASE: Ticking time bombs – under-prepared hospitals could blow up under COVID pressure
Apr 15, 2020Rural medical organisations are warning that hospitals, particularly the smaller rural ones, need to gear up now, to prepare for COVID-19 emergencies. ACRRM and RDAA have said that good preparation will save lives. -
ACRRM welcomes new telehealth providers
Apr 9, 2020With over 1300 providers offering telehealth at either the patient or distant end of the consultation, the ACRRM telehealth provider directory is one of the most comprehensive multiple speciality directories’ in Australia and is used extensively in rural and remote general practice. The directory can be searched by speciality or region and includes information about visiting specialists and those offering mentorship in running a telehealth service. -
JOINT RELEASE: Be a good egg — stay at home this Easter
Apr 9, 2020Thinking of travelling to your holiday home or a rural destination for Easter or the school holidays? Think again. That’s the warning today from ACRRM and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), as they urge all Australians to stay put at their usual place of residence and maintain strict social distancing practices. -
Recognition of rural generalism is now more important than ever
Apr 9, 2020The advent of COVID-19 has reinforced the importance for ACRRM to deliver Australia’s first government-funded Rural Generalist (RG)Training Program this year. -
National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce – launch of clinical guidelines
Apr 7, 2020The National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has launched the new “living guidelines”. These guidelines will provide evidence-based guidance to clinicians caring for people with COVID-19. -
Influenza Vaccination Update
Apr 2, 2020The Department of Health has reported that, based on forecast demand from the states and territories, it is well placed to meet forecast demand for influenza vaccine, including for the National Immunisation Program and to respond to any increased demand that may arise this year. -
JOINT RELEASE: Rural doctors issue stark warning on COVID-19
Apr 2, 2020While there are very early signs that the curve is beginning to flatten on COVID-19, there is an extraordinarily long way to go - and rural and remote Australians must not become complacent in slowing its spread, or more people will die. -
ACRRM President opens Australia’s first rural respiratory clinic
Apr 1, 2020ACRRM President Dr Ewen McPhee is at the forefront of COVID-19 preparation, opening Australia’s first rural COVID-19 respiratory clinic in Emerald today. -
Message from Dr Adam Coltzau, Clinical lead, RDAA and ACRRM Rural and Remote Response
Mar 31, 2020As more cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in rural and remote areas, the widening of bulk-billed telehealth to the whole population - and a doubling of the bulk-billed incentive for all consultations - is greatly welcomed. -
More assistance to deliver rural and remote health care during COVID-19
Mar 29, 2020ACRRM welcomes the expansion of telehealth services and bulk-billing incentives announced by the Australian Government today. ACRRM President Dr Ewen McPhee says these changes will significantly increase the capacity of the rural health system, particularly in general practice. -
JOINT RELEASE: Think COVID-19 won’t reach your rural town? Think again!
Mar 27, 2020If rural and remote Australians think their town is too isolated to be impacted by COVID-19, they should think again, the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) warned today. -
Provision of key health information for vulnerable patients
Mar 26, 2020The My Health Record system supports rural doctors in the coordination of healthcare for their most vulnerable patients. Clinical Professor Meredith Makeham says, “the system has provided a supporting role in bushfires and the Queensland floods and can now assist with COVID-19 patients by enabling GPs to provide key health information to hospitals, pharmacies and the patient via a shared health summary”.