title: Health promotion and prevention.
abstract: Techniques of promotive and preventive health care include: The use of proactive skills in the consultation; and the co-ordinated use of posters and pamphlets with media campaigns. An efficient medical record and patient recall system; and a doctor initiated health check programme with selected patients. A cost effective method of informing practitioners includes: Ensuring access to continuing medical education by supporting FMP and post-graduate medical institutes. The provision of educational material for both the patient and doctor combined with media publicity campaigns. Supporting RACGP CHECKUP and library services for isolated practitioners. Suggested changes to undergraduate medical education are: Promotive and preventive health care delivery needs to be an inbuilt part of the curriculum. Promotive and preventive health care needs to be taught by both academic and private general practitioners who have received tutor training. It should be presented in tutorial form and during student attachment at surgeries. It needs to be followed up by continuing education by postgraduate institutes, the RACGP and FMP. Government input required includes: The provision of increased academic resources and continued funding of FMP. Remuneration for general practitioners who are involved in undergraduate teaching. Alteration of the fee structure to reward quality of care. Allowing Medicare rebate for promotive and preventive health care delivery.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sales
mesh_terms: D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000379:methods