This course explores common medico-legal issues that General Practitioners face in their everyday practice. It is based around a hypothetical case study about a GP’s failure to follow up a patient who was referred for investigation of a breast lump and includes discussion on test tracking and follow-up, delayed diagnosis, practice systems, doctor-patient communication, use of chaperones and managing of adverse outcomes.

This course explores common medico-legal issues that General Practitioners face in their everyday practice. It is based around a hypothetical case study about a GP’s failure to follow up a patient who was referred for investigation of a breast lump and includes discussion on test tracking and follow-up, delayed diagnosis, practice systems, doctor-patient communication, use of chaperones and managing of adverse outcomes.

The relationship between a doctor and patient is at the core of a clinical consultation. This course aims to refresh skills to assist the medical practitioner during a consultation with a difficult patient.

Australian law and medical practice reflect the fundamental ethical principle of autonomy: recognising that individuals have the right to make informed decisions about their medical treatment. Except in a life-threatening emergency, a patient with capacity needs to give voluntary and informed consent before undergoing any examination, investigation, procedure or treatment.

This course is no longer current. It has been replaced by https://www.avant.org.au/Consent__informed_consent_and_more/

This module aims to refresh core effective communication skills, including the background and theory of effective communication.

This module aims to refresh communication skills that may assist the medical practitioner to gather appropriate and useful diagnostic information during a consultation.

This course is based around a hypothetical case study. Dr Lai, a cardiothoracic surgery registrar, transects a patient’s costochondral cartilages during surgery. The hospital receives a complaint from the 70 year old male patient. Dr Lai discusses the situation with the consultant surgeon and the Director of Clinical Governance but is unsure of how to respond. The hospital ultimately is delayed in providing a response and the patient issues a claim against all parties.

This elearning course describes the challenges associated with identifying mental illness in patients, and managing the practitioner-patient professional boundary. Breakdown in the professional boundary can lead to significant problems for patients, and is one of the major reasons for complaints against practitioners.

This course is based around the hypothetical case study of a 21 year old aspiring model who consults Dr Mark Field a plastic surgeon for a cosmetic rhinoplasty. Chantal has tight deadlines for her surgical outcomes and when those outcomes don't meet her expectations, she complains to Dr Field and seeks compensation.

The requirements for medical records include clinical guidelines and legal responsibilities. They are also a key communication tool, important evidence of the care you have given for colleagues, to Medicare, during a complaint process, or in a court of law. Key requirements are outlined in this course.

Welcome to the Avant online course Medical records: Chapter three – activity. The requirements for the documentation of a consultation includes having a systematic and contemporaneous account of the consultation.

The requirements for medical records include clinical guidelines and legal responsibilities. Your legal responsibilities include the obligations for privacy, storage and retention of records. The key requirements are outlined in this course.

The Medical Records eLearning course aims to help you build on your knowledge and experience in the management of health records in Australia.

Australian law and medical practice reflect the fundamental ethical principle of autonomy: recognising that individuals have the right to make informed decisions about their medical treatment. Except in a life-threatening emergency, a patient with capacity needs to give voluntary and informed consent before undergoing any examination, investigation, procedure or treatment.

Australian law and medical practice reflect the fundamental ethical principle of autonomy: recognising that individuals have the right to make informed decisions about their medical treatment. Except in a life-threatening emergency, a patient with capacity needs to give voluntary and informed consent before undergoing any examination, investigation, procedure or treatment.

This course is no longer current. It has been replaced by 

Prescribing principles: chapter one – general prescribing issues https://www.avant.org.au/Prescribing_principles__Chapter_one_-_general_prescribing_issues/

And Prescribing principles: chapter two – opioids and other drugs of dependence https://www.avant.org.au/Prescribing_principles__Chapter_two_%E2%80%94_opioids_and_other_drugs_of_dependence/

This course explores common medico-legal issues that Urologists face in their everyday practice. This course is based around the hypothetical case study of a 78 year old male who consults Dr Burns regarding his prostrate. Mr Young's surgery has unexpected adverse outcomes and a complaint is made.

As a benefit to members, medico-legal expertise is available 24/7 in emergencies through our Medico-legal Advisory Service telephone advice line. One of the most common types of calls we receive is about how to respond to requests for information for use in legal proceedings or for a medico-legal purpose. Many doctors are uncertain about how to respond to these requests. As this handbook will make clear, there are different obligations and requirements for different types of medico-legal information requests.

This course has a medico-legal overview and discusses the importance of good communication in clinical practice and how this contributes to a sound consent process. The program is entirely online and has 6-8 hours of content with some additional reading as required.

This course has 16 RACGP CPD activity points

Risk management is a crucial part of good practice and should be integrated into a practice's philosophy, policies and strategic plan, rather than viewed as a separate program or 'add-on' only if time permits. All staff have a responsibility to be involved actively in practice risk management. As a leader, practice managers can play a key role in creating a positive quality improvement culture. When this is achieved, risk management becomes a priority for everyone in the practice. Join Avant in this webinar to explore issues relating to risk management for the practice manager.

Note: You will receive a certificate on completion for this course, though it no longer has pre-approved CPD/CME points.

This student-focused webinar will use real life case studies to explore some common scenarios when dealing with coronial matters and Good Samaritan acts, and will provide you with the expert advice to prepare you for what may come your way.

This is a great opportunity to gain advice from medico-legal experts who have impressive and extensive experience. Also hear from Resident Medical Officer Angie Di Re and gain real insights within a hospital setting.

The webinar will be entitled “Brave new world: new technologies and techniques". Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Identify the potential risks in obtaining informed consent for a new procedure or technology
• Discuss how to mitigate risk when performing a procedure for the first time
• Outline the ethical considerations before using a new technology/technique i.e. does new mean better?

When indicated the doctor should consider the use of a chaperone and be familiar with their legal, clinical and ethical responsibilities in this regard.

1. Outline the value of good communication when examining a patient
2. Discuss the role of a chaperone in the medical consultation
3. Identify risk management strategies when using a chaperone during a consultation
4. Highlight the patient safety issues when deciding to use or not to use a chaperone

The webinar is entitled “Beyond hand washing: patient safety initiatives in healthcare”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Outline the difference between a 'person based' and a 'systems based' approach to patient safety.
• Describe examples of a positive contribution to creating a 'safety culture' in the workplace
• Demonstrate effective strategies to raise concerns with a colleague about a lapse in safety

Clinical supervision at the point of care has a significant impact of patient safety. Active supervision involves Identifying the balance between a hands on or a hands off approach, responding when a trainee is consciously or unconsciously out of their depth and establishing steps to escalate care.

The webinar will be entitled “Conflict of interest: pharma and medicine”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Outline the considerations for clinical decision making associated with pharmaceutical funded research
• Describe what constitutes evidence in the context of clinical innovation and pharmaceutical companies
• Examine what the future may hold with increasing accountability, openness and transparency for the pharmaceutical industry

The webinar will be entitled “Creating a just-culture supporting the disclosure of human errors and near misses lessons from the aviation industry”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Provide an overview of what is meant by a Just Culture
• Outline some of the main issues surrounding Just Culture in the aviation industry and how these lessons learned are reflected in the medical industry.
• Describe strategies to support the implementation of a Just Culture to improve patient safety within your healthcare organisation or workplace.

A complaint by a patient can be a very distressing situation for the practitioner as well as the patient and dealing with difficult relationships is often part of the complaints process. This webinar explores what drives patients to lodge a complaint and provides practical advice on how to manage difficult doctor-patient relationships

Missed, delayed, and misdiagnosis are growing areas of claims and complaints. This webinar will provide an understanding of how oversights, errors, and practitioner ‘mindset’ can contribute to missed and delayed diagnoses.

This webinar is about: 

• The basics of how diagnostic errors happen 
• How common diagnostic errors are 
• What you can do to reduce the risk of having a diagnostic error 
• System-related interventions that can help to reduce diagnostic error

What would you do if you were contacted by Medicare? Would your practice protocols, processes and multidisciplinary team support a Medicare audit?

In this webinar on 24 October 2012, Jan Chaffey from Camp Hill Healthcare discusses how medical practitioners should prepare for and interact with Medicare.

To celebrate 120 years of protecting and supporting our members, Avant has invited world renowned expert, Dr Gerald Hickson, to present on the connection between the behaviour of health professionals, patient outcomes and litigation.

Because medicine is a profession and healthcare practitioners are professionals, it is important to have a clear understanding of what 'professionalism' means. This webinar will focus on ethics, competency, duties, and responsibilities involved in the medical profession

The webinar will be entitled “Getting started in Private Practice: essentials to help you succeed”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Describe some of the common issues and challenges in starting up or entering into private practice
• List strategies which can be implemented to minimise clinical and medico-legal risk and improve patient safety in private practice
• Identify resources and tools to assist with management of the private practice environment

The webinar will be entitled “Hanging up your stethoscope: thinking about, preparing and planning for retirement”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Identify important factors to consider when determining an optimal time to retire
• Identify the factors related to ageing that increase your level of risk
• Outline the legal requirements of selling or winding down a practice
• Implement strategies to make a smooth transition from practice to retirement

Health professionals are becoming increasingly reliant on computers and clinical desktop systems to manage and monitor patient care. In this webinar, Georgie Haysom, Dr Penny Browne, Marianna Kelly and Katrina Otto explore how medical software can be used as a tool to manage risk in medicine and how this technology can be used to benefit both the patient and practitioner.

The laws related to treating children and adolescents are addressed in this webinar; including competency and consent to treat, treatment in cases where a parent refuses consent, mandatory reporting, and access of parents to their child's medical records.

In this webinar on 17 September 2013, Dr Emma McCahon, Dr Walid Jammal and Avant advisors discuss laws related to treating children and adolescents.

Note: You will receive a certificate on completion for this course, though it no longer has pre-approved CPD/CME points.

The webinar will be entitled “More than words: communication and clinical-handover”.

Learning objectives:

• Discuss the reasons clinical handover is an important quality safety standard.
• Describe the tools available to clinicians around effective clinical handover.
• Identify the patient risks associated with poor clinical handover and how to reduce these risks.

The webinar will be entitled “Navigating the maze: IMGs and the Australian medical system”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Outline the challenges IMGs face entering the Australian medical system.
• Discuss the level of support IMGs will require in Australian Training Programs to ensure the same standard of patient safety and transition to Australian medical system
• Describe the benefits and issues that are faced with the high number of IMGs in rural and remote placements
• Discuss the impact of limiting intern spaces for IMGs has on the Australian healthcare and economy.

The webinar is entitled “Performance management - tips and traps”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

Establishing effective performance management systems can have significant benefits for hospitals and practices, more satisfied, more motivated, and better performing staff.

Learning objectives:

• Describe effective performance management in the workplace
• Apply proper performance management and disciplinary processes in the workplace
• List strategies you can implement to get the best out of your staff

The webinar will be entitled “Predicting medico-legal risk: latest research and its application to practice”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Describe the distribution of formal patient complaints across Australia’s medical workforce
• Identify characteristics of doctors at high risk of incurring recurrent complaints
• Identify quality improvement interventions to help reduce adverse events and patient dissatisfaction in medical practice.

The webinar will be entitled “ Prescribing perils Part 2: Drugs of dependence”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Outline the techniques to minimise the risk to patient safety with schedule 8 & 4 prescriptions
• Discuss the clinical and legal issues of prescribing drugs of dependence
• Provide an overview of current strategies to minimise the risks associated with prescribing drugs of dependence.

This webinar provides an update on prescribing issues such as real time prescribing and other opioid prescribing changes

• Explore the clinical indications for opioid prescribing
• Identify the legislative requirements for opioid prescribing
• Discuss the role of alternative treatments
  

The webinar will be entitled “Prescribing perils: opioids, polypharmacy and medication errors”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Outline the techniques to minimise the risk to patient safety with schedule 8 & 4 prescriptions
• Discuss the clinical and legal issues of prescribing drugs of dependence
• Provide an overview of current strategies to minimise the risks associated with prescribing drugs of dependence.

With our ageing population and the increasing expectation of patients that medicine will cure all, helping patients with decisions can be an ethical minefield for clinicians, especially when the patient lacks capacity or at the end of life. This is compounded by the existence of different laws around Australia. In this webinar we explore the difficult legal and ethical issues that can arise, particularly at the end of life, and discuss practical ways you can assist patients in advance care planning.

Note: You will receive a certificate on completion for this course, though it no longer has pre-approved CPD/CME points.

This webinar discusses the Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia as the foundational document that establishes the professional framework for medical practitioners in Australia. The code of conduct was updated in late 2020 and this discussion brings attention to the aspects of the code that have been amended or added as well as a general discussion of the key concepts. It includes:

• The key principles of professionalism as it relates to the medical profession.
• The role the code of conduct has in guiding professional standards.
• The key standards and expectations discussed in the code.

Through extraordinary innovation and advances in technology, modern healthcare has utilised the scientific method to produce life transforming interventions for patients. There is now an expectation that this same scientific rigour will be applied to ensure that all care is implemented as safely and reliably as possible. The serious burden of avoidable adverse outcomes and the associated patient dissatisfaction arising from failures of reliable delivery means that understanding and utilising the science of reliability is now a significant risk management strategy for all doctors

Note: You will receive a certificate on completion for this course, though it no longer has pre-approved CPD/CME points.

The webinar will be entitled “Sand, surf and surgery. Medical tourism and its impact on Australian healthcare”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Outline the ethical issues associated with medical tourism
• Discuss the clinical and legal issues of medical tourism
• Provide an overview of current strategies to minimise the risk of medical tourism on Australian Medical Professionals.

The webinar will be entitled “Sign here: how to overcome obstacles in gaining consent”. Specifically, the topics for discussion will include:

• Identify issues which may complicate the consent process
• Illustrate the provisions surrounding implied consent
• Illustrate the provisions surrounding consent in the emergency setting
• Identify risk management strategies which can be implemented to help obtain consent in difficult situations

Social media is becoming more and more utilised by hospitals, practices, and medical professionals as a way to educate, collaborate, and market health information. As more members of the medical profession are embracing social media for sharing medical information and providing patient care, there is a greater need to understand its risks, benefits, and how it can be best leveraged to benefit both the clinician and patients.

Note: You will receive a certificate on completion for this course, though it no longer has pre-approved CPD/CME points.

Guidelines issued by the Medical Board of Australia say that whenever possible, doctors should avoid providing medical care to anyone with whom they have a close personal relationship.

Recorded on 26 August 2020, this webinar explores the issues arising from this statement giving practical advice and exploring case scenarios.

Diagnostic error is a clinical event that is reported to occur in approximately 10% of all cases. For the majority of these cases there is minimal impact to the patient, but in some situations the impact can be significant. In this discussion, with international expert Dr Mark Graberand Avant's Dr Owen Bradfield, we explore practical advice to help reduce the frequency of diagnostic errors and improve patient safety.