Led by NPS MedicineWise and the Heart Foundation, the free program offers personalised visits to GP clinics to provide advice on implementing best practice for heart failure management.
Currently, it is estimated that about 1.2 million Australians over 18 years of age suffers from one or more conditions related to heart or vascular disease. A recent report estimated that more 61,000 Australians are diagnosed with heart failure each year and that a total of 480,000 men and women are currently suffering from this condition.
With these figures in mind, the “Heart Failure: taking an active role” a new program is now available to all GPs in Australia, from urban, rural and remote locations. The goal of the new program is to help GPs implement the current guidelines for heart failure management, updated by the Heart Foundation and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand in 2018.
The program consists of an educational visit, made by a trained professional. The visit is part of a broader program that seeks to:
- support GPs in the early diagnosis and classification of heart failure
- provide clinical guidance on initiation and ongoing management of medicines
- empower patients with effective self-management strategies to improve their quality of life
What to expect?
According to the official announcement, participants of this program should expect the following learning outcomes:
- Assess people with suspected heart failure and refer for echocardiogram when required to help confirm diagnosis and guide management.
- Apply Australian guideline recommendations to up-titrate heart failure medicines to target or maximum tolerated doses for people with heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) to reduce hospitalisations and save lives.
- Create a management plan with patients which includes non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments for heart failure and any co-morbidities, to improve patient outcomes.
- Review and deprescribe, where possible, potentially harmful medicines to reduce cardiac risk and exacerbation of heart failure.
- Evaluate patients with heart failure who would benefit from referral to support/specialist services to improve medicines up-titration and adherence, and reduce rehospitalisations.
About the program
GP practices wanting to join the program can book an in-person, group or virtual visit from a trained NPS MedicineWise independent Educational Visitor by clicking this link.
Cost: FREE
Informational video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keCdE-NAfp0
Formats available:
- One-on-one: a 30-minute in-practice discussion for GPs, tailored to individual learning needs.
- Small group: a 1-hour group discussion for GPs, pharmacists and nurses.
- Virtual visits: via video call. Available to support practices who wish to continue educational activities without a face-to-face appointment.
What is offered:
The Heart Failure: taking an active role program is currently offering:
- 9,000 RACGP- and ACRRM-accredited educational face-to-face or virtual visits for GPs
- Webinar on-demand: Demystifying echocardiography in heart failure: GP and cardiologist Q&A
- A MedicineWise News article: Up-titrating heart failure medicines: A practical guide
- A video: Cardiologist John Atherton discusses how GPs can make a difference.
- An upcoming CPD accredited online case study for pharmacists
- A suite of practical resources and materials including patient action plans, patient videos, brochures and clinical factsheets for health professionals.