Hi all,
Last week I won a national award for Innovation in Business at the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners in Sydney.
The Award
BankFirst Innovation in Business Award
Awarded by the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners for recognising innovation in business relating to new and improved health systems, administration and/or service provision through a multi-stage process of transforming ideas that advance patient care, business practices and practitioners.
Background
I’m a Nurse Practitioner working in general practice for the past 11 years and for the past 8 years have co-owned Cygnet Family Practice. NPs have advanced practice experience and education, can prescribe medication, order blood tests, ultrasound and x-rays and refer to medical specialists.
I’ve seen every day the challenge that people have in getting health care when they need it. Waiting times to see GPs can vary from days to weeks. This results in people becoming sicker and an increase in attendance at emergency departments. I’ve also seen ‘gaps in their care’. Recommended immunisations missed, bowel cancer screening not discussed, increased pain for patients because they couldn’t be seen in a timely manner. I could see a better way.
At Cygnet Family Practice, I’ve developed an innovative model of care which uses the expertise and experience of nurses, Registered Nurses and my role as a Nurse Practitioner.
Three major areas of health care reform have included the New Patient Registration Visit, the Nurse Practitioner Health Check, and a Nurse Practitioner Urgent Care Clinic.
These new systems have improved the quality of the new patient’s experience, provided a designated 40-minute appointment for a holistic health check, and have increased access to general practice care on the day when needed.
As a national award winner, nurse practitioner and co-owner of Cygnet Family Practice, my goal is to promote health care reform in Australia in regards
to people being able to access safe, quality healthcare in rural and remote areas through the nurse practitioner model of care.
Thank you to all the people in the Huon and Channel area who trust their healthcare to Cygnet Family Practice.