Preventative Care

At Bellbowrie Family Practice, we recognise that we are on the front line of providing education and advice to prevent illness and disease and encourage good health. We also believe in being proactive about early intervention in the diagnosis and treatment of illness or disease. Our work in preventative care goes beyond consultations at our practice and out into the community, where we participate in awareness campaigns, provide information and take part in health initiatives.

Preventative Care Consultations

At Bellbowrie Family Practice, we like to provide a holistic approach to health care. This means that when you see one of our GPs, we will take into account your specific circumstances, any health conditions you have, and any risk factors for chronic disease. Our approach to your treatment is tailored to your needs and might include:

  • Immunisation
  • Screening for communicable illnesses
  • Screening for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and some types of cancer
  • Identifying if you are at risk of a mental health condition
  • Preventative advice and counselling that is specific to your needs
  • Advice on lifestyle and maintaining good health through lifestyle changes
  • Early intervention for childhood developmental conditions
  • Education on managing or preventing specific health conditions

Referrals for Specialist Care

In some cases we find that our patients need specialist care, especially if they are at high risk of developing a chronic health condition. Our role is to coordinate the health care you might need from other health professionals. Your chances of a good outcome for a health condition are increased when you receive specialist care. As part of our role in preventative care, being proactive means that we are often able to detect chronic illness early, increasing the chances of successful treatment.

Some instances of when we might refer you for specialist care include (but are not limited to):

  • If you have diabetes, we might refer you for specialist eye care
  • If you are at risk of cardiovascular disease, we may provide a referral for specialist cardiovascular care
  • If we believe you are at risk of a mental health condition, we might refer you to one of our Allied Health partners for further care
  • If we believe your child needs early intervention for a childhood condition, we may provide a referral to a specialist in that field
  • We might refer you to a specialist for screening for genetic disorders

One of the advantages of receiving specialist care is that it gives us a better picture of your health and particularly the condition that requires specialist care. It means that we have access to the information provided by the specialist and we are able to work in collaboration to provide you with the best possible outcome

Our Role in the Community

We believe that our influence as health professionals extends beyond our practice into the community. We are pleased to be able to promote health initiatives and participate in community awareness of health issues. Our aim is to do our part in providing information and education to help our community stay healthy.

If you would like to know more about the preventative care services we offer at Bellbowrie Family Practice, please call our friendly team on 07 3202 5360. You can also make an appointment using our online booking service.

References:
ama.com.au/position-statement/doctors-and-preventative-care-2010