Living Your Best Life means taking control of your health and well-being. You may be eligible for one of our FREE Care Plans or Health Assessments, all covered by Medicare to current Medicare Card Holders.
Anyone who has a chronic medical condition that has been, or is likely to be, present for six months or longer, may be eligible for a Chronic Disease Management Care Plan.
A chronic disease is an illness that usually isn’t curable, doesn’t go away, but can be managed with various types of treatment.
A few of the commonly referred to Chronic Diseases include: diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and chronic lung conditions (asthma or emphysema).
Your GP, along with allied health professionals, can tailor a Care Plan to suit your needs and you may qualify for Medicare rebates for some allied health visits.
Care Plans are BULK BILLED to all current Medicare Card holders.
A Mental Health Care Plan (also known as a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan) is a treatment strategy prepared by a GP in consultation with you. It looks at your mental health needs and goals and outlines treatment options and support services to reach those goals.
During an initial consultation, your GP will assess whether you have a mental health concern that warrants the preparation of a Mental Health Care Plan. Part of this preparation may involve referring you to an allied mental health professional.
Your GP can refer you for up to six individual or six group allied mental health services and it is at the clinical discretion of your referring practitioner as to the number of allied mental health services you will be referred for (to a maximum of six in any one referral).
At Amtan Medical Centres, all our GPs BULK BILL to patients who hold a current Medicare Card. This applies to your initial consultation to assess your mental health concerns, as well as the actual Mental Health Care Plan assessment.
Allied Mental Health Professionals are free to determine their own fees for the professional services they provide which means there may be a gap fee after the Medicare rebate for the Mental Health Care service.
One thing YOU should know is that it is not a sign of weakness to seek help. If you are experiencing signs or symptoms of depression or anxiety, talk to your GP or Practice Nurse today.
People aged 45 to 49 years (inclusive) with potential risk of developing a chronic disease are eligible for the 45 to 49 Years Health Assessment. A health assessment at this stage in life can assist Patients to make the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease.
During the course of the assessment, information will be gathered in regards to any medications you may currently take, lifestyle factors and risks, and your readiness to make lifestyle changes.
One of our friendly Practice Nurses will conduct the assessment followed by a consultation with your GP. We recommend you allow a little over an hour to complete both the assessment and consultation.
You may wish to consider seeing your GP about having an assessment if you have any of the following “risk factors” that may increase your chances of developing a chronic disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history of disease such as diabetes, cancer or heart disease, lack of physical activity, poor diet, smoker or overweight.
The 45 to 49 Year Health Assessment introduced by the Commonwealth Government, is BULK BILLED to current Medicare Card holders.
If you or a loved one are 75 years of age or over, you/they are eligible for an annual Health Assessment under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (to holders of a current Medicare Card).
At Amtan Medical Centres, your Health Assessment will be performed within the comfort of one of our Practices. You may wish to have a friend or family member attend the appointment with you while one of our friendly Nurses conducts the assessment, followed by a consultation with your GP.
Allow up to one hour to complete the assessment and consultation.
During this process any medications you may be taking will be documented, and you’ll be assessed on Physical, Psychological and Social Functions.
At the conclusion of the Health Assessment you will be given a written report and any outcomes will be discussed with you through a follow up visit. This encourages you to be involved in any preventative measures recommended by your GP.
Health Assessments are BULK BILLED to current Medicare Card holders.
At Amtan Medical, we have a strong commitment to preventive medicine. The schedule below is recommended by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Please feel free to discuss this with your doctor so it can be tailored to your particular requirements.
| Details | Frequency | Who |
| Smoking Discussion | Annual | Smokers |
| Weight Check | Annual | All |
| Dietary Advice | Annual | All |
| Alcohol Advice | Annual | Drinkers |
| Physical Activity Advice | Annual | All |
| Cardiovascular Risk Check | 2 yearly | >45 years |
| Blood Pressure Check | Annual | >18 years |
| Cholesterol Check | 2 yearly | >45 years |
* Minimum frequency, more often for certain at risk groups
** For general population, earlier checks appropriate for certain at risk group
eg Heart Disease, Lung conditions incl Asthma, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, Immune Disorders
Smokers, Heart Disease, Lung Conditions,
The aim of the health check is to help find, prevent or lessen the effect of disease. This health check will give us the opportunity to look at your lifestyle and your doctor and nurse can support you by:
Every 12 minutes an Australian dies from heart, stroke or blood vessel disease. Most heart attacks and strokes are preventable.
If you are 45 years or older (30 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) and have not had a heart attack or stroke, then you are eligible for a Heart Health Check under Medicare. A Heart Health Check is a regular checkup performed by your doctor designed to help you understand your risk factors for heart disease and estimate how likely you are to have a heart attack or stroke in the next five years. Heart Health Checks are BULK BILLED to current Medicare Card holders. A discussion about your history and lifestyle
Your lifestyle is an important part of assessing your risk of heart disease, as these factors can all play a part. You may be asked about:
Next, your GP uses the information gathered to assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next five years.
If needed, your GP or nurse will work with you to set a plan for improving your risk factors for heart disease and keep on top of your heart health.
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.
It can be difficult to know whether something on your skin is a harmless mole or normal sun damage, or a sign of cancer. When in doubt, speak to your GP.
The sooner a skin cancer is identified and treated, the better your change of avoiding surgery or, in the case of a serious Melanoma or other skin cancer, potential disfigurement or even death.
It is also a good idea to talk to your Doctor about your level of risk and for advice on early detection.
Develop a regular habit of checking your skin for new spots and having your GP monitor you.
“Regular skin examinations are important for early detection of melanoma”
People at an increased and high risk for skin cancer include those with;
Fair skin, a tendency to burn rather than tan, freckles, light eye colour, light or red hair colour
There are three main types of skin cancer: melanoma (including nodular melanoma), basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
These are some changes to look out for when checking your skin for signs of any
cancer:
New moles.