Team work

Team work is the answer to all forms of health care delivery – and at Pleasant Point Health Center we aim to do that by working closely to gain the best from each clinician. Standard practice means 15 minute appointments for myself as lead clinician. Patients are encouraged to make a longer appointment if they know they need more time. This happens infrequently, due to cost.

The registered nurse is booked in a similar way with ‘simple acutes’ and those with stable chronic conditions requiring repeat medications or reviews, also  having 15 minute appointments.  Appointments for dressings, immunisations, cervical smears,cardiovascular risk assessments (CVRA) and diabetes checks  are booked for 30 minute appointments as a rule.  But, best laid plans soon put this ‘theory’ out the window from time to time!

If I am fully booked for the day (including 4 emergency slots) appointments are made with the nurse where an assessment can be made before I ‘go through’ and see the patient. This system works well as it enables us to continue with the mainstream appointments while still seeing any urgent cases on the day.  This requires a team approach with the RN working up the patient by taking a detailed history, using advanced health assessment skills and giving me a synopsis of the presenting complaint before I then complete the consultation. This  aids in the efficiency of patient  through-put in the interest of good time management for both the patient and the team. 

The nurses have commented that this system works and allows them to use their assessment skills and then learn from being part of the consultation as I (or GP) work through and complete the diagnosis and treatment plan with the patient. Similarly if the nurse has a wound dressing they will often ask me to review this and then continue with the appropriate dressings. This I can do between patients with little interruption to the bookings. 

Every day the nurse(s)  have a catch up with me to go over patients that we are seeing and what the plan is for them. One day a week the two nurses and I meet for an hour and review a case, or policies, or discuss any issues presenting for any of us clinically.