Online Training For GPs Focuses On Advance Care Planning, Australia

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 02 Apr 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has launched a new online learning activity to support general practitioners, practice nurses and practice managers to help patients expressing wishes about their future health care - also known as 'advance care planning' - should they become incapable of making their own decisions.

Advance care planning encourages individuals to reflect on what is important to them, on their beliefs, values, goals and preferences in life and how they want to be cared for if they reach a point where they can no longer communicate their own wishes about medical care. This is important because very often, people do not talk to their families, their doctors or carers about what is important to them and how they would want to be cared for. Without advance care planning, end of life care is often compromised with the family burdened with difficult decisions placing unnecessary stress and anxiety on everyone involved.

The learning activity was adapted from the e-learning course in advance care planning developed by LaTrobe University in conjunction with Austin Health's Respecting Patient Choices Program. It was wholly funded by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA). The learning activity is now available through the RACGP's online education portal gplearning at www.gplearning.com.au. Category 2 QA&CPD points apply for GPs.

"Raising issues of advanced care planning with patients can be uncomfortable. However, it is important that we encourage patients to clearly communicate their intentions for their future health care to their GP and those closest to them," said Dr Chris Mitchell, RACGP President, and GP in Northern NSW.

"An advance care plan offers the patient an opportunity to say what life-prolonging medical treatment they would and would not want in the future. At a later time, if the patient is unable to express their wishes about treatment, their doctor and family will know what they would have wanted or how they would have liked the choices to be made. These choices are especially important when caring for aged patients and those of all ages facing potentially life threatening illnesses," said Dr Mitchell.

The learning activity is an interactive presentation by Dr Patrick Kinsella with video case studies and provides a practical approach to supporting our patients in advance care planning. As it is available online, GPs can complete this learning activity anywhere at any time.

At the end of this learning activity participants should be able to:

- explain the principles of advance care planning
- better identify the opportunities for introducing advance care planning
- describe how to introduce systematic processes within general practice to identify patients who may benefit from advance care planning
- improve counselling about advance care planning through recognising when to discuss plans; how to identify common key issues facing patients with potential and actual illness; and discussing these in a sensitive and appropriate fashion
- explain how introducing advance care planning early can help prevent unnecessary and inappropriate treatment as well as minimise unnecessary guilt, stress and conflict for families and significant others
- better identify issues about capacity and informed decision making
- identify the legal requirements of advance care planning in the state or territory in which you work

The RACGP has developed a webpage of useful information about advance care plans, including a state by state breakdown of requirements and series of articles and links specifically designed for GPs.

More information about the Respecting Patient Choices Program.

About the RACGP

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian general practice. The RACGP represents the majority of Australia's urban and rural general practitioners.

Source
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

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