Clinical Research and Quality of Care

Levinia Crooks, Executive Director of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine spoke about the system it uses to promote the quality of HIV treatment by general practitioners (community doctors). This system sets standards and accredits community doctors as HGIV prescribes. These doctors are linked up with specialists in hospitals for additional advice and consultation if required. The training courses are flexible in terms of content but the process is set - doctors attend the training course that gives them CME points that they need to continue as GPS. They then have to pass a peer assessment to see that they have learned from the course. They are also required to commit to on-going education. This allows people with HIV to place a good portion of their care with their GP as they have a good relationship with them and it is easier to access this service than the hospital; outpatient service. This program is a good way to ensure that services are located where the people want them without compromising quality, it develops a dynamic network of doctors available to carry out HIV management at local level and is linked in to the doctors existing CME scheme and to accreditation. The system has now been adapted to provide training for GPs involved in Hepatitis C management.