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Last week was the ASLM annual conference held in beautiful Adelaide where we partnered with APNA, the Australian Primary Care Nursing Association to create the Essential Health Summit.

With 1000 delegates it was a resounding success and as Hung The Nguyen President of ALSM reflected in his closing address, by coming together, rather than having holding conferences of doctors, nurses and other allied health practitioners we were able to share ideas, learn from each other and find greater consensus on not only what the future of healthcare in Australia could be but is already taking shape.

For too long different practitioners have operated independently of each other and have often failed to collaborate when seeking to restore a patient to health. Primarily this has been because of ignorance. We don’t always understand the skillset of what an Occupational Therapist, Naturopath, Exercise Physiologist, or Dietician does, the training they have undertaken and the expertise they have mastered. Doesn’t it make sense for us to work together? Judging by the increasing number of interdisciplinary practices being established in our communities, I am clearly not the only person who thinks this.

Each year, awards are given to the brightest and the best, those individuals and groups who are leading the way in delivering and promoting lifestyle medicine. This year Oracle Healthcare was chosen as a shining star to what is possible. Founder GP Dr Lena Attebo set up the clinic because she believes every patient deserves ongoing support and lifestyle support to achieve optimal health. Based in St. Leonards in Sydney, Oracle is an interdisciplinary health assessment clinic providing leading-edge prevention and lifestyle medicine.

We know that 89% of deaths are attributable to chronic disease and 40% of these are preventable. Yet, modern western medicine remains locked in reactive mode, fixing what becomes broken at the bottom of the cliff, rather than asking what we need to do to stop people from falling off that cliff in the first place.

With the burgeoning burden of chronic disease, surely prevention can no longer be an option?

Other highlights from the conference included a culinary medicine workshop, men’s ‘Wellteam’, talks on shared medical appointments, social prescribing, mental fitness, exercise in menopause and oncology, insomnia management and guidelines for deprescribing. And that was only some of what was on offer.

Overall, there was much food for thought and tasty eating, lots of inspiration, new learning, a suitcase or three of takeaways, new and revised friendships, and a whole heap of fun with breathwork, yoga, walks, a 5 km run, and naturally, dancing for those with energy left to burn at the “afters party.”

The person I was especially pleased to meet was Waminda Parker from NatureFix. Waminda and I sing from the same song sheet – that immersion in nature not only makes you feel better, but also boosts physical, emotional, immune and cognitive health, and happiness. She and her team offer workshops and online training to help individuals better understand and maximise the restorative power of nature. Her website is at www.naturefix.life.

Healthcare in Australia has never looked so bright and I for one am super excited for what the future may bring in terms of patient-centred, holistic and evidence-based care.

I hope you can share my optimism.

Dr Jenny Brockis

Dr Jenny Brockis is a Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, workplace health and wellbeing consultant, author, speaker and coach. Her latest book, The Natural Advantage (Major Street Publishing) is available at all major bookstores and online. Doors open soon for her new coaching program.

2 Comments

  • Troy Flower says:

    You’re an absolute rock star Jenny. We need more people driving prevention messages in more presentations everywhere. Making healthy lifestyle choices should be viewed as legendary by the general public.

  • Dr Jenny Brockis says:

    Thanks so much for your support, Troy. I totally agree. We need a strong collective voice to nudge a shift of mindset from, “how can my health practitioner make me well again?” to “how can I work with my health practitioner to stay well” 🙂

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