ALLIED HEALTH FLOURISHES IN REGIONAL AND RURAL VICTORIA Gen Health Hamilton serves local community and rural outreach with range of allied health services
With
Jessica Fishburn,
Physiotherapist & Director
Gen Health Hamilton, Victoria
Carl Joyce,
Podiatrist & Director
Gen Health Hamilton, Victoria
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH JOURNAL SEGMENT
Filmed in Hamilton, Victoria | April 2025
Genhealth Hamilton was established in 2015 in regional and rural Victoria. The practice offers a range of services including physiotherapy, podiatry, occupational therapy, exercise science, and group classes such as clinical reformer therapy and clinical Pilates in Hamilton, which has a population of around 10,000. The clinic also serves a wider community within 100 kilometre, reaching rural residents and local industries.
The clinic caters to both private-paying patients and compensable clients referred by GPs or government-funded programs like NDIS and WorkCover. They address various health concerns, particularly in women’s pelvic health, with the clinic being one of the few in the region that specialises in this area.
Genhealth’s mission is to strengthen the health of the local community through a collaborative approach, allowing patients to access multiple services in one location. The multidisciplinary team is notably young and dynamic, contributing a vibrant energy to their healthcare delivery. The clinic has successfully reached approximately 9,000 of the 10,000 people in the community, showcasing their commitment to improving health outcomes.
The founders, initially four young women, took the risk to realise their vision for allied healthcare, turning it into a successful and community-focused business.
Australian Health Journal spoke with two Directors about the practice, the staff and the community they serve.
Source: Written by AUDIENCED from transcript
Filming credit: The Social Connection
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Sonia Marshall – South Western Sydney Local Health District
South Western Sydney Local Health District serves nearly 1 million people in a rapidly growing area of Sydney. Currently 250-300 families a week are moving into the region and with a growing population, the health district requires well executed strategy and delivery of healthcare to the population. Executive Director Sonia Marshall spoke with Australian Health Journal reporter Anne Dao at last week’s Australian Healthcare Week in Sydney, on supporting staff and the community. Sonia highlights the mission of delivering Safe Quality Healthcare at all times. In-time patient feedback is important and the SWSLHD has implemented a system called “My Experience Matters” to give near immediate response from patients on their level of care, whilst they are still on site at the hospital. The aim of the initiative is to quickly identify bad experiences that could be rectified.
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Sharing the same goals in value-based procurement
Value-based procurement (VBP) is a journey, not a sprint. It’s about putting the patient at the centre of quality affordable healthcare through changes in procurement practices for medical technologies. Patient outcomes drive value and sustainability, not just price. The bigger picture indicates that VBP will create system cost saving through benefitting patients, rather than trying to attain the reverse – a win-win outcome.
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Continuing education program leads to better conversations
Medicines Australia’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) is designed to educate medical representatives to a recognised industry standard. Dr Tristan Ling, CEP Academic Lead and Project Manager at the College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania talks about the 900 students that come through the program each year.
The CEP is primarily directed at medical representatives working within the prescription medicines industry, but is also recommended to people who may not be currently employed within the industry but would like to pursue a career as a medical representative. It is also available to personnel working for organisations interacting with the pharmaceutical industry.
