Local general practitioners are establishing separate operations to manage COVID-19 vaccination services as demand surges during phase 1b of Australia's national vaccine rollout, which commenced Monday.
The strategy emerged as health experts expressed concern that medical tests and diagnoses could be delayed or missed due to patients avoiding GP visits during the vaccine administration period.
Starting Monday, 18 Canberra general practitioners and three in Queanbeyan began administering vaccines to eligible phase 1b populations. The Queanbeyan GP Super Clinic exemplifies this approach, splitting its operations into dedicated vaccine and general practice teams.
Practice operations manager Lesley Rielly stated: "We have to ensure that we still maintain our continuity and care for the rest of the services." The clinic established separate patient entrances to accommodate the operational division.
Ms Rielly noted the clinic received doubled phone calls the previous week from eligible patients. The clinic anticipated approximately 80 daily vaccinations, with plans to increase capacity following initial implementation. The first shipment contained 400 phials.
Australian Medical Association ACT branch head Dr Antonio Di Dio warned that patients might perceive clinics as overwhelmed and avoid scheduling routine check-ups. He emphasised: "Every year, thousands of people get diagnosed with heart attacks and strokes… by their GPs."
Testing rates for multiple cancers and diseases declined significantly in 2020 as patients avoided clinics during COVID-19 concerns.
Specialist GP Billy Stoupas indicated clinics nationwide possessed procedures and systems to manage additional patient volumes while maintaining regular services through existing recall and reminder systems.