Don’t Let your Healthcare needs go Unchecked!

 

Your healthcare is our priority, and our team are dedicated and focused to ensure your best health needs are cared for during this pandemic. We have taken all safety precautions and now provide many options to ensure you have adequate medical care, provided to you with empathy and respect.

As you may be aware the Government has made many changes to the healthcare system to ensure you are supported. The Madison Medical Practices have adopted all aspects to ensure this can be achieved, safely and securely.

It is vitally important that you take care of any pre-existing health conditions. These include systemic diseases such as cardiac and respiratory issues, oncology, skin related conditions, mental health concerns or any other ordinary conditions which are part of your day-to-day health management.

That means – it is important that you know you can call your GP or our Allied Health Professionals for an appointment, either by seeing our practitioners in a face-to-face consultation, or a Video Consultation on a secured platform such as “GP Consults”. Either way please don’t ignore the doctor. For all health conditions, it is important that our patients and all Australians continue to focus on their health, as well managing the Coronavirus lifestyle changes.

One of the things that we know from experience of past epidemics and pandemics around the world is that often people do not continue to get the regular healthcare they need. Sadly sometimes as a result of this we see more morbidity and mortality occurring from preventable chronic conditions than actually occur from the infectious agent itself. This is why it is incredibly important that everybody in Australia continues to receive the healthcare that they would normally be receiving at this time.

If you have an acute health problem that is concerning you, please reach out to us for help. Our dedicated team can assist you and get you the treatment that you need. At The Madison Medical Practice, you have so many options available to you: face-to-face consultations, consultations via the phone, or video consultation.

For those who are taking medication every day to prevent a chronic condition from getting worse or, if you have hypertension, diabetes, asthma or other chronic conditions, please continue to take your medication. If you run out of your medication, contact us or your local pharmacy. All pharmacies have measures in place to get your medications to you, and we have protocols in place to get your prescriptions to pharmacies.  All prescriptions will be emailed or faxed twice daily, and the originals will be kept onsite for 2 years. Only S4 and S8 medication prescription originals will be sent to the pharmacy on your behalf.

Equally, if you are someone who requires regular blood tests, it is important that you continue to have your blood tests done. Our onsite pathology partners, Australian Clinical Laboratories, are focused upon limiting your attendance and time to ensure you get back home as soon as possible. Our reception team can then arrange a telehealth consult to discuss your results over the phone.

We know that many people are very worried about leaving their own homes, but it is totally acceptable to leave your home to attend a medical appointment to manage your health. For your safety and ours, all Madison Medical Practices have social distancing measures implemented, surfaces cleaned with antibacterial solutions regularly, and all staff are wearing appropriate PPE. We also have adequate PPE available for our patients upon request.

All patients are screened with questions prior to their arrival, so that NO patients are presenting with FEVER/COUGH/COLD OR FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS without being assessed prior to presenting to the practices, so face to face consultations can be conducted with a level of reassurance for all patients.

We all know that during a stressful time like this that mental health concerns can present. If you do feel the need for this support, it is incredibly important that you continue to stay in touch with our therapists. They are all doing telehealth for ease and flexibility, simply speak to our staff who can arrange a consult for you.

As we dawn upon winter, please protect yourself against the Influzena virus. It is a serious illness, so it is important to receive the Flu Vaccination, particularly if you are in a vulnerable group. All the Madison Medical Practices have been very busy this year administering Flu Vaccines and we have been happy with the uptake, however for those haven’t yet received the vaccine please call and our team will assist.  The government has been active in promoting this area of healthcare, and we are able to cater to the needs of our patients with a good supply of vaccines for all age groups. For your convenience, this is administered by our experienced Nurses and can be booked online via our website or Health-engine.

In recent weeks Dr Tony Bartone the AMA President has been quoted in saying “every week in Australia, several tens of thousands of diagnoses around internal cancers, skin cancers, diabetes, new heart disease are made. If Australians neglect their care during this time, all we are going to do is shift an enormous burden of care many, many months down the road – with worse outcomes, more complications, more morbidity, and indeed, many Australians will lose their life to preventable conditions”.

So with that message from Dr Bartone we hope you see our update as a helpful guide, designed for you and your family to access the care you need in a variety of ways, so we all get through this pandemic together. Please know that we are here for you, keep in touch and maintain your usual care. There has never been an easier time and a safer time to access the care face-to-face or via telehealth in our practices.

Until we see you please take care and stay safe.
Best wishes from the entire Madison Medical Practice team.