Project Aim
This Australia / Hainan Project is strengthening a new, sustainable high-level network - linking educators, general practitioners and primary care practitioners in the two countries. Exchange visits are building understanding of general practice systems. Electronic networks are augmenting these activities. China continues to strengthen its general practice system.
Location
Hainan is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China, consisting of various islands in the South China Sea.
Expected Outcomes
(1) Participants in China and Australia gain awareness of professional similarities and differences in general practice in their respective settings.
(2) Chinese partners gain clinical experience in the Australian setting of general practice, Australian partners gain similar experience in Chinese setting.
(3) Participants acquire expertise in training models relevant to Chinese context.
(4) Relationships established between network partners, mentoring processes commenced.
(5) Chinese and Australian partners gain experience working in international partnership and exposed to new approaches related to cultural differences in health care.
(6) The project will form the base of a third phrase of collaboration to ensure sustainability.
PRESS RELEASE – Australian and Chinese GPs are learning together!
Six Chinese general practitioner colleagues from major Hainan hospitals are visiting in May. Hainan is a beautiful island in south east China. Participants have spent time with the University of Sydney Hornsby General Practice Unit . They are spending several days in a range of local general practices as well as a Traditional Chinese Medicine practice. The visitors will attend an international medical education workshop run by HealthServe Australia. This visit is jointly hosted by Health Serve Australia and the Office for Global Health, University of Sydney. The project is funded by the Australia China Council.
Dr Gu from Hainan shared “we felt warmly welcomed by the whole Australian group. The Clinic is fantastic. The referral system between GP and Specialist is quite effective”
Dr Tim indicated that “six members of the Hainan GP Association are visiting Sydney for ten days to explore the Australian general practice system and gain insights into potential ways to make improvements in the training of general practitioners in Hainan”.
General practice is commencing in China. Australia has been developing its general practice system for more than sixty years. Exchange visits are building understanding of general practice systems. Electronic networks are augmenting these activities.
The network is working on several tasks. Participants in China and Australia are gaining awareness of professional similarities and differences in general practice in their respective settings.
Chinese partners are gaining clinical experience in the Australian setting of general Practice. Australian partners are gaining similar experience in the Chinese setting.
Participants acquire expertise in training models relevant to Chinese context.
Chinese and Australian partners are gaining experience working in international partnership and exposed to new approaches related to cultural differences in health care.
We are all building important friendships! An Australian team will visit Hainan soon for a training forum on Women’s Health.
Dr. Michael Burke
MBBS, PhD FRACGP
Chair
HealthServe Australia
