Medical Deputising Services

 

The Australian Locum Medical Service (ALMS) established in 1969 by the current principals has been providing medical deputising services for General Practitioners in both Melbourne and Perth for 40 years. ALMS is the first Medical Deputising Service (MDS) established in Melbourne and Perth. Such long term experience in this challenging and ever changing industry enables the provision of unparalleled, professional, after-hours primary care for the patients of nearly 2,000 GPs in Melbourne and Perth (WA).

 

The Australian Locum Medical Service (ALMS) has the experience, personnel and systems to guarantee the quality of medical deputising services provided to General Practitioners and their patients.

 

 The founders and current Directors of ALMS have provided forty years of proven support to the medical community in Melbourne and Perth, with leadership experience unmatched by any other Australian Medical Deputising Service.

 

 Our executive team maintains membership with key health organisations such as the  Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Association of Practice Managers and the National Association for Medical Deputising Services, to ensure that ALMS remains aware and responsive to current issues that may affect the provision of medical deputising services.

 

 Our medical leadership team maintains strong links with the medical community, participate in comprehensive continued professional development and are available 24 / 7 to mentor our doctors and discuss any element of the care ALMS provides with our GP subscribers.

 

All doctors working with ALMS are registered by the relevant State Medical Practitioners Board. Many hold Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), or are currently studying towards achieving this goal.

 Doctors working with ALMS through the Approved Medical Deputising Service Program (AMDSP) are further assessed by the Department of Health and Ageing prior to placement on the program. Doctors on the AMDSP are required to meet stringent continuing medical education requirements far beyond that required by the RACGP and are mentored by our Medical Advisory team towards achieving Fellowship of the RACGP.

 

 ALMS orientation and mentor system for doctors has been quality assured by  the Department of Health and Ageing and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners through accreditation.

 

 All Call Centre staff participate in rigorous orientation and training programs. Monitoring and key performance reporting systems ensure ALMS staff provides patients with respectful and professional service at all times.

 

  

 ALMS policies and procedures have been independently assessed by General Practice Australia Accreditation Plus (GPA) as meeting all of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for General Practice. This assessment is repeated every 3 years.

 

 ALMS policies and procedures have been approved as meeting the Standards required of the Department of Health and Ageing, Approved Medical Deputising Service Program.

 As members of National Association for Medical Deputising Services (NAMDS), ALMS meets the further quality obligations of the NAMDS Definition of a Medical Deputising Service.

 

 ALMS Call centre technologies, including uninterrupted power supply, backup generator systems and independent data centre utilisation ensures redundancy of systems and security of confidential health information.  

 ALMS sophisticated call management software has been developed in collaboration with Medical Deputising Services in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney. This breadth of Australian experience has created a comprehensive patient care platform that provides essential clinical resources to both patients and doctors to ensure continuity of care across healthcare events.

 

 ALMS provides secure electronic transfer of patient encounter notes to the medical software of GP subscribers, enabling instant access to key after hours treatment information when required.

 

 Call status tracking and integrated GPS mapping systems, deliver real time display of workforce utilisation, to ensure patients are always consulted in a medically appropriate time.

 ALMS has invested in ancillary systems to ensure that our company provides GP support and not just after hours services. ‘IndePendant’ home emergency alert and other products, enable our GP subscribers and their patients to access systems that improve lifestyle whilst providing cost benefits to the community.

 

ALMS provides professional management of patient care whenever required. This includes, but is not limited to:

         

v  medical care throughout the defined after hours period for patients in their home, or residential aged care facility. Calls are triaged by suitably qualified and experienced staff and relayed to our doctors in the field. A detailed treatment report of each consultation is forwarded to the patient’s General Practitioner.

v  doctor phone triage on receipt of call. Patients are telephoned by the treating doctor prior to attendance and reassured that they will be consulted in a medically appropriate timeframe. Patients may be provided with valuable self care management advice prior to the doctor’s actual arrival and are appropriately referred to emergency services if required.

v   free doctor phone advice line. Medical phone advice is provided by our doctors at no charge and a report of such advice is forwarded to the patient’s General Practitioner.

v  recording of individual ‘patient specific’ management instructions for immediate access when required by our doctors, ensures continuity of care for these special need patients.

v  recording of specific Practice and/or GP instructions    for immediate access by our Call Centre staff and doctors, ensures that the service ALMS provides aligns with the policies of our General Practice subscribers.

v  access to care at any time the Practice is closed.           Our purpose built Call Centre is staffed 24 /7 by experienced and trained staff. This ensures appropriate triage and referral of patients to emergency services, or to the patient’s General Practitioner whenever required.

v  access to essential practice information 24 /7 for patients and other health care providers, including opening hours and emergency contact details for the relay of critical health information.

v  personalised call answering on request. Patients may call the Practice 24 hours per day and have their call answered in the Practice name. Automatic call diversion to an assigned dedicated number allows seamless access to medical attention.

v  access to ‘Independant’ a unique personal home alert system for elderly or infirm patients. ALMS works with the General Practitioner to have a detailed medical history available to our doctors. This is the only home alert system in Australia where a doctor is available to provide informed telephone triage and home care to the patient.

General Practitioners have entrusted the care of their patients and the reputation of their Practices to the Australian Locum Medical Service for forty years. It is this customer confidence and loyalty, that motivates ALMS to constantly improve, adapt and guarantee the support services that ALMS provides.

 

 

 

To subscribe to the Australian Locum Medical Service or request further information please contact us on     (03) 8341-1200     in Melbourne or  (08) 9227-6658 in Perth, or email your request to almspractice@medic.aust.com. Our Sales department would welcome the opportunity of a personal visit to discuss any elements of how our service can be of benefit to your practice.

  

If you are currently a subscriber to our service and would like to update your practice information, please click here for Practice Update.