New Medicare items needed to fight heart disease disparity says GP
Dr Ralph Audehm says resourcing primary care is vital to address the gaps in care across the nation revealed in new 'heart maps'
New Medicare items to improve secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease are needed for primary care, with the latest data showing a gulf between rural and urban heart health, a GP says.
Melbourne GP Dr Ralph Audehm, who has a special interest in cardiovascular medicine, says such items would complement the Heart Health Check MBS items rolled out in April last year.
“General practice is still the place to actually achieve the best secondary prevention because we see the patients more often, we know their circumstances, and we know the area they live in,” he said.
Many patients with existing CVD weren’t being treated to target and currently available tools weren’t getting the job done, he added.
