General

Listening, not typing: AI scribes helping GPs

How artificial intelligence scribes are changing the way GPs work. Dr Keith McArthur has been a GP for decades. He’s seen many changes in the profession—but few have had as immediate an impact on his day-to-day work as the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) scribes. “I’m nearly 70 and I can use a few fingers,…

Communicating with confidence in palliative care

How a scholarship program is helping healthcare professionals improve their confidence in delivering palliative care. It takes a village to care for someone at the end of their life. Often, that village spans far beyond a clinic room or palliative care ward. Pharmacists, paramedics, GPs, nurses, community services and loved ones all play a part…

Finding strength in isolation

How one mental health support program turned one man’s experience of isolation into new horizons. When Sam* moved to Queenstown in Tasmania’s remote west, he faced more than just the challenges of settling into a new town. He was navigating complex mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, while coping with…

Practice managers strengthening the system through connection

On a rainy Wednesday morning, the hum of conversation fills the cement-walled warmth of Hamlet café in Hobart. Around the tables, practice managers from across southern Tasmania are catching up, and in some cases, meeting for the first time. There’s no formal agenda, no presentations, and no PowerPoint slides. Just coffee, breakfast, and something just…

From hospital beds to home comfort

How a regional pilot has grown to keep people well and out of hospital across the state. We’ve featured the Community Rapid Response Service (ComRRS) before in Primary Health Matters, but the story has grown—and so has its impact. What began as a small pilot in Launceston is now a statewide service, with teams in…

Pathways to better support

How a group of passionate doctors are empowering their fellow GPs to support transgender patients in practice. For Relic O’Shaughnessy, a 22‑year‑old non-binary Tasmanian who uses they/them pronouns, being seen and respected in health care shouldn’t depend on luck or courage. “We are people first,” they say. “Gender-affirming care isn’t just hormones or surgery, it’s…