Patient information websites and handouts are an important component of reinforcing consultations and allowing patients to seek further information from a reliable resource. Most patients are happy to receive a handout and many GP practice softwares have links to common condition leaflets built in making it easy to print out.
For example, my GP practice uses Best Practice which has a specific button for patient education materials from reliable resources such as John Murtagh’s general practice book, Beyond Blue and MIMS Patient Education.
If a specific leaflet cannot be found or if you prefer to use another website, they can be bookmarked to your web browser to allow easy access and printing during a consultation. I have listed a few useful websites and handouts that I use frequently.
For many medical conditions patients require an action plan of management for their condition or to take to school with them. This is especially important in allergies and asthma for children where many schools state this is a requirement. They often also require to be printed in full colour so it can be helpful to keep a few spare copies in your practice for the most common action plans.
Mental Health
Black Dog Institute: Free Mental Health Fact Sheets - Black Dog Institute
Beyond Blue: Resource library - Beyond Blue
Lifestyle and screening
Prostate cancer screening (from the RACGP): prostate-cancer-screening-infosheet.pdf (racgp.org.au)
Sleep diary from the Centre for Clinical Interventions: Sleep Diary (health.wa.gov.au)
Sleep hygiene practices from the Centre for Clinical Interventions: Sleep Information Sheet - 04 - Sleep Hygiene new (health.wa.gov.au)
Allergy and immunology
ASCIA (Action plans and care plans for multiple conditions including anaphylaxis, FPIES and allergies): ASCIA Action Plans, First Aid Plans, Treatment Plans and Checklists - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
Respiratory
COPD-X action plan and checklists: COPD-X (copdx.org.au)
Asthma action plans: Asthma action plan library - National Asthma Council Australia
Cardiology
Heart foundation: Resources for health care professionals | The Heart Foundation
Paediatrics
Raising Children (parenting website): www.raisingchildren.net.au
Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne): Kids Health Information : Fact sheets (rch.org.au)
The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (Sydney): Fact sheets | Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (nsw.gov.au)
Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service: Children's health fact sheets | Children’s Health Queensland
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead: Fact sheets | Kids Health (nsw.gov.au)
Perth Children’s Hospital: Child Health Facts
Women’s health
The Royal Women’s Hospital (Melbourne): Health information | The Royal Women's Hospital (thewomens.org.au)
Stillbirth Centre of Clinical excellence (Safer Baby Bundle factsheet)
Sexual health
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre: Sexual Health Fact Sheets (mshc.org.au)
Contraception from The Royal Women’s Hospital (Melbourne): Contraception | The Royal Women's Hospital (thewomens.org.au)
Diabetes
National Diabetes Service Scheme: www.ndss.com.au
This is not intended to replace any local policies but intended as a learning resource, please check what guidelines are followed in your area of practice. We will update this list over time but if you have any other helpful resource to add to this list please contact the Doctorology team at doctorology.podcast@gmail.com.
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