In November 1999 the Federal Government initiated a yearly “health care assessment” consultation available through Medicare. This is to support motivated GP’s to provide health assessments for their patients. All Australians aged 75 and over and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders aged 55 and over are eligible. We bulk bill everyone, pensioner or not for the service.
Annual, voluntary health assessments for older Australians provide an opportunity for your doctor at Golden Beach Medical Centre to undertake an in-depth assessment of your health. Health assessments cover the patient’s medical, physical, psychological and social function.
What does this health assessment mean to you?
It provides an opportunity for your doctor to take a thorough look at some of the health problems that you may encounter. It is designed to support preventive measures to improve your quality of life. Some of the issues addressed will include:
- Daily activities and how well you can do these
- Your nutritional status
- Risk of falls and injury i.e. review of home safety
- Mood & risk of depression
- Memory capacity
- Vision & hearing levels
- Social interaction and support
- Risk of heart attack, stroke & diabetes
- Bladder & bowel function
- Smoking & alcohol intake
- Immunisation status
- Medications; both prescribed and over the counter
Overall a health assessment is a very valuable activity to enable a comprehensive appraisal of all your health needs and discover any medical problems as well as ask a health professional any relevant questions that relate to your health. The service is fully bulk-billed and is conducted in your home. Call our reception team to make an appointment and one of our friendly nurses will visit you in your home for your annual health assessment to get a realistic idea of your medical situation.