James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2003

HS5002:03

Population Health for Clinicians 2

Mt Isa HECS Band 2

120 hours flexible delivery. Limited attendance Semester 1 and 2.

Available to students enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Postgraduate Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Postgraduate Diploma of Rural and Remote Medicine, Master of Public Health, Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Master of Public Health/Master of Business Administration, Master of Rural and Remote Medicine. Must be a medical practitioner, Division of General Practice staff, General Practice staff or other health professional as agreed to by the Head, Mt Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health (MICRRH).

Staff: Assoc. Professor D Pashen, Dr E Chalmers.

This subject consists of three modules:

Diabetes: Epidemiology and burden of diabetes. National priority areas. Goals and targets. Measuring and assessing risk. Secondary prevention guidelines. Quality use of medicines. Critical appraisal of research and meta-analysis. GPs’ roles in behaviour change. General practice diabetes clinics. Practice diabetes databases.

Chronic and Complex Diseases: Population health strategies and their application in clinical settings. Measuring and collecting data in a GP setting and the practice audit context. Monitoring complex care. Using clinical guidelines. Patients’ rights. Coordination of care. GPs as advocates.

Mental Illness: Common issues and controversies. The burden of mental illness. Prevention, indicators, dual diagnoses, co-morbidities, workforce distribution and training, multi-disciplinary care, service integration, the role of consumer groups and special needs groups.

Learning Objectives:

  1. identify chronic disease and mental health strategies useful in clinical practice;
  2. identify ways of managing and monitoring complex care;
  3. design and undertake practice audit;
  4. critically appraise literature;
  5. knowledge of consumer and community rights and doctors’ advocacy roles;
  6. collect relevant data at practice level;
  7. understand and implement evaluation tools within general practice;
  8. understand and implement research tools and methods within the clinical context of general practice.

Assessment by projects (50%); assignments (50%).