Filling health care gaps

A NEW local service has boosted access to health care offering a different option in Beechworth and surrounds with a nurse practitioner practice opened in the town in late December last year. Beechworth’s Steve Voogt has practiced as a registered nurse practitioner for 16 years following a career as a registered nurse in various specialisations. Mr Voogt said nurse practitioners have an extended scope of practice where his patients can be assessed, diagnosed, prescribed medication, request diagnostics such as pathology and radiology as well as referrals to specialists among services. He also said the service is to complement existing medical practices as it’s vital for people to remain with their primary medical carers. “What I'm hoping is people have a choice to see me, or they can choose to see their general practitioner (GP), but I always collaborate with GPs,” he said. With shortages everywhere across rural and regional areas Mr Voogt said nurse practitioners help to fill the gaps. “As long as it's nothing urgent or emergency care, I'm happy to see those patients with condition ranging from viral illness to people with urinary tract or chest infections to people who may be a little bit more unwell," he said. Mr Voogt said he doesn’t see young people under the age of 18 years old or cover women’s health as its not within his scope. “Many nurse practitioners have quite defined practice scopes such as working in emergency departments and mental health as examples, and I cover primary care and gerontology,” he said. Mr Voogt undertook his general nurse training at a hospital in Melbourne nearly 40 years ago with career working in acute hospitals, hospitals in rural areas as well as remotely in the Northern Territory, and hospital management. His decision to focus on a clinical pathway led him study and work in intensive care (ICU) at a Melbourne hospital followed by working for 12 months in Canada. “I worked in a neuro trauma Intensive Care Unit in Edmonton, Alberta which was great and loved it,” he said. The nurse practitioner returned to Australia from there with a move to Beechworth 22 years ago. “I have been working around the area in hospitals ever since as well as Gateway Health,” Mr Voogt said. Mr Voogt said he had been working in larger health facilities like Monash and the Royal Melbourne hospital but has now focused on providing the service for the local community. With an interest in older people and their related illnesses - one of his areas of expertise, Mr Voogt said he undertakes comprehensive assessments for them. “Home visits can be beneficial for older people,” he said. Mr Voogt also said Medicare rebates had improved but remained a challenge with a gap fee charged for the service. “Nurse practitioners have been around in Australia for close to 25 years with the profession steadily growing," he said. “It took the government some time for the profession to be recognised with a provider and prescriber numbers. “I also consult and work with a physician who is a geriatrician as over the last few last few years, I've mainly worked with the older clientele, and we have undertaken lot of telehealth." With a website being developed visit for the service more information can be obtained by visiting the service’s Facebook page, email info@northeastnursepractitioner.au or contact Mr Voogt on 0455 420 715.

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