Nannup Medical Centre in the South West region of Western Australia is participating in the second phase of the WA Primary Health Alliance funded Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) Pilot Project, which provides the practice with an on-site, non-dispensing pharmacist for 15 hours a week, over a 12-month period.
Betty White, Practice Manager at Nannup Medical Centre, explained that their dedicated team, led by the non-dispensing pharmacist, has forged an innovative partnership with Advara HeartCare to provide travelling cardiovascular services, including free echocardiograms, which are helping to improve the early detection and management of CHF among their patients.
“One of the major challenges historically faced by Nannup Medical Centre has been the limited access to essential diagnostic tools such as an echocardiogram for our patients. The burden on older patients to travel to larger facilities is a significant barrier that forces many patients to rely on brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) tests instead.
“Providing access to an echocardiogram is a vital step in the diagnosis process for CHF, which is improving the early detection and management of CHF among our patients, and ultimately helping to avoid hospitalisations,” Mrs White said.
For further information about assisting patients with CHF, call the Practice Assist help desk on 1800 2 ASSIST (1800 2 277 478 or 08 6278 7900) or email practiceassist@wapha.org.au