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AMA Family Doctor Week 2016 salutes Australia’s hard working GPs

This week is AMA Family Doctor Week 2016 (July 24-30), a time to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work and dedication of the more than 30,000 GPs across Australia who provide high quality primary health care and advice to their patients in local communities across the nation. The Family Doctor Week theme this year is Your family doctor: invaluable to your health.

AMA President, Dr Michael Gannon, said that the personalised care and preventive health advice provided by family doctors helps to keep people out of hospitals, and keep health costs down.

“Family doctors are leaders in preventive health care, early diagnosis and treatment, coordinated care, and chronic disease management. GPs are not only invaluable to the health of Australians, but they provide cost effective and comprehensive care."

“Australian GPs provide the community with more than 137 million consultations, treat more than 11 million people with chronic disease, and dedicate more than 33 million hours tending to patients each year. Nearly 90 per cent of Australians have a regular GP, and enjoy better health because of that ongoing trusted relationship."

Each day this week the AMA has highlighted issues affecting family doctors and urged governments to provide greater support to allow them to continue serving their communities.

To help celebrate Family Doctor Week you can:

Visit https://ama.com.au/family-doctor-week-2016 for more details.

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