Pictured: Dr Timothy Wiles and Dr Matthew Allan (Maria Clinic, Casino) with Dr Chelsea McMahon.
Following on from the success of the In-Reach Education program on the Mid North Coast, the program has made its way to Northern NSW, and has recently completed 6 months of successful service delivery.
Led by Dr Chelsea McMahon, Endocrinologist, and Judy Byrne, Diabetes Educator, the team have visited 6 practices to deliver lunchtime education followed by an afternoon of case conferencing.
Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are fast becoming a standard part of diabetes management and giving real-time feedback to increase patient safety.
This program offered healthcare professionals the opportunity to trial a CGM for themselves, giving them firsthand insight into the patient experience.
The program has been developed and rolled out as a direct result of the challenges our region faces in accessing high quality specialist care close to home. Healthy North Coast identified the need to support patients and build the capacity of their local providers and developed a targeted program to address this need in our community.
How does the In-Reach Education model work?
A local medical specialist attends a general practice, along with supporting allied health staff or specialist nurses. The team provide a clinical education session for all the practice staff, then spend the afternoon with a single GP from the practice as they review patients requiring specialist input.
The patient gets the benefit of access to a specialist in their own general practice, while the doctor gets upskilled from the specialist in managing chronic and complex diseases.
The In-Reach Education model aims to:
- support the management and care of the most complex and chronic patients in general practice
- provide high quality specialist education to general practice clinicians and staff
- build connections between local doctors and specialists to foster collaboration and coordination
- utilise bulk billed Medicare items so there is no cost to the patient.
“Fantastic to be part of the diabetic sensor monitoring. Very informative & enlightening. Thank you for offering me the opportunity to participate in this program. Much appreciated!” – Patient.
Capacity building through lived experience
The positive experience reported by participants in Northern NSW has again been reflected in the education delivered by Chelsea & Judy. The education benefits the practice, with all team members learning something new.
The program has been demonstrated to increase local GPs knowledge in managing complex chronic diseases in general practice and building confidence to manage this care in the primary care setting before referring on to a specialist.
“I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly – it’s been very informative and interesting!” – GP
This outcome speaks directly to the program’s primary aim: building capacity in general practice. By embedding specialist expertise into local clinics, Healthy North Coast is helping to close the gap in access to high-quality care and ensuring patients receive timely, informed support close to home.
“I have had diabetes for more than 20 years, but recent health changes (cancer) have made management of diabetes challenging. Having access to local medical staff gives me confidence that my conditions will be managed to my benefit.” – Patient.
A key component of this program was the opportunity for healthcare professionals to trial a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) themselves. Over 14 days they trialled the sensor and were able to have that first-hand experience of wearing the sensor and identify the direct impact their diet, exercise & stress levels had on their own blood sugar levels in real time.
Clinicians reported:
- Greater confidence in discussing CGM use with patients
This allowed them the opportunity to speak from their own experience and share with the patient the reality of using a CGM and address common patient concerns like discomfort, alarms, and wearability with clarity and reassurance, reducing anxiety around CGM adoption. - Improved ability to support patients exploring new technology
The trial gave clinicians practical knowledge to support patients who wish to utilise new technology in management of diabetes. Allowing them to educate patients about the range of management options available and allowing the patient to then make an informed decision with their healthcare provider. - A deeper sense of empathy
The most consistent feedback received though was the increased empathy they developed for their patients. Experiencing the physical and emotional aspects of CGM use like disrupted sleep, sensor placement discomfort, and the stress of fluctuating readings-gave them a new appreciation for the daily realities of living with diabetes.
Participants also gained personal insights into their own health. Seeing the impact of skipped meals, stress, or indulgent snacks on their blood glucose, even without a diabetes diagnosis was a powerful motivator to adopt healthier habits and added authenticity to their patient education.
All participants enjoyed the trial and reaffirmed what we all know about healthy eating practices and diabetes management.
Ultimately it led to better care for patients, increased empathy for patients and doctors & nurses having a better understanding of the challenges a patient faces when managing their diabetes.
“It has been great to be part of this program that is filling a gap for HCP’s. Facilitating personal learning with CGM has provided many ‘A-ha’ moments in real time about blood glucose and increased empathy for those living with diabetes.” – Diabetes Educator.
Moving forward & getting involved
Healthy North Coast is working on the expansion of the Specialist In-Reach Education program, aiming to bring more medical specialists into general practices across the whole region.
If you are a specialist or a general practitioner, register your interest in participating or contact your local Regional Manager for more information.
Also be sure to check HealthPathway’s Diabetes page for the latest guidance.
