title: Evaluating the use of Enhanced Primary Care health assessments by general practices in North Queensland.
abstract: The Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program funds GPs to provide preventative health assessments through a specific set of Medicare item numbers. The study aimed to show whether patients completing these health assessments had better recorded screening rates than those receiving usual care. A retrospective clinical record audit was undertaken in north Queensland general practices by practice nurses from the North Queensland Practice Based Research Network. Comparisons were made between the recorded screening test rates for patients who completed an over-75-years health assessment with those who did not. A questionnaire was also completed by practice nurses and practice principals. Screening tests were recorded more frequently in patients with a completed health assessment: notably urinalysis, visual acuity and faecal occult blood test/colonoscopy. Blood pressure was the most frequently recorded test with or without a health assessment. The questionnaires provided useful information on how health assessments are implemented and whether GPs believe they are useful.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia. tracy.cheffins@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheffins
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spillman
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heal
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kimber
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brittain
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lees
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D054869:Clinical Audit; D058006:General Practice; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011793:Queensland; D012189:Retrospective Studies