Countdown begins for GP11 – The Conference for General Practice

With only six weeks to go until theRoyal Australian College of General Practitioner’s (RACGP) annual conference - GP11, final preparations are well underway for what will be an outstanding program of presentations, workshops and social networking opportunities for GPs and allied healthcare professionals.

The conference, to be hosted in Hobart, Tasmania will take place from 6-8 October 2011 and will provide delegates with the opportunity to explore new learning opportunities and specific interests ranging from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, to telemedicine and health reform.

Dr David Knowles, Chair, RACGP Tasmania Faculty and GP11 Conference Convenor, said the conference is the premier event in the general practice calendar and is excited to see the rich variety of general practice research and practical workshops on offer to delegates.

“This year’s conference boasts a strong mix of renowned international and local guest speakers presenting on a range of general practice related topics, including Wonca President Professor Richard Roberts and RACGP President Professor Claire Jackson who will also be joining a panel of health experts to answer hard-hitting questions surrounding health reform,” Dr Knowles said.

The key themes for this year’s conference include:

• Women’s and children’s medicine
• Innovations in education
• Telemedicine
• Clinician leadership development
• Informatics/e-health
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
• Business of medicine
• Dermatology in practice
• Emergency medicine
• General practice research

Another key highlight of the conference is the new look eHealth Journey display (formerly known as the Model Healthcare Community) which aims to raise awareness of e-health initiatives to better support care in general practice. Visitors to the eHealth Journey will see how unique health identifiers provide the building blocks towards e-referrals, e-discharges, e-medications, e-diagnostics and other medical e-communications. The new display takes delegates on a patient journey from when the patient arrives at a general practice reception, a referral to a specialist, a hospital admission and the return of the care (discharge) to the GP. Visitors can also learn more about the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) and the potential to share patients' health information between healthcare providers.

Professor Claire Jackson, RACGP President, said the College recognised the importance of the conference program reflecting the current healthcare environment, including topics such as e-health, telemedicine and the business of general practice. “I look forward to joining fellow healthcare professionals from across Australia who are attending GP11. Not only does the conference serve as a fantastic opportunity to further GPs’ continuing professional development, but also provides delegates with an opportunity to reflect on the outstanding achievements and advances being made in general practice – the cornerstone of a healthy nation,” Professor Jackson concluded.

For more information about GP11 and to download the program, please visit www.gp11.com.au. To view the list of keynote speakers, please visit www.gp11.com.au/keynote_speakers.asp

For media passes to the conference, please contact the RACGP Communications & Media Unit on the contacts below.

You can also follow all the conference action by following us on Twitter: @RACGPConference