Following the success of our GP education course delivered at GPCE last year, Emerge Australia hosted an updated, CPD GP education series in May 2024 on our Learning Management System. We did this with the support of an unrestricted educational grant from Moderna.
76 GPs and Allied Health professionals participated. Before the training, many participants noted concern about missing something during the diagnostic process or how to assess vaccine safety and eligibility in the ME/CFS and long COVID community. Many had practical questions about how to organise their booking and billing.
Over three lectures, our Medical Director Dr Richard Schloeffel, OAM, provided a framework for diagnosing and managing complex chronic conditions such as ME/CFS and long COVID. The lectures covered diagnosis and safe strategies for managing symptoms, such as pacing and ensuring comorbidities are well managed. In the final lecture, Dr Schloeffel discussed emerging research and the importance of limiting COVID-19 infections using a multi-pronged approach that includes vaccination, masking and good air quality. Each lecture was followed by half an hour of question time.
Early feedback has been very encouraging, demonstrating our education is improving GPs ability to diagnose and manage ME/CFS and long COVID:
“I can now diagnose and make effective recommendations and referrals, for people with ME/CFS and long COVID”
and
“[I can now] take on more patients as I have more confidence knowing I am not doing the wrong thing and now have more options to do better !!”
We have also had some excellent suggestions for more case-based learning, including covering the diverse and important place Allied Health have in the ME/CFS and long COVID healthcare team. Watch this space!
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