Dr Peter Adkins — celebrating 20 years of service to the region
In celebrating 20 years of service to our region, Brisbane South PHN is proud to recognise the outstanding contributions of one of our Senior Clinical Advisors, Dr Peter Adkins.
Over the past two decades, Dr Adkins' commitment to elevating healthcare standards has helped shape the quality care the PHN and our partners provide to our local communities. His career and influence have been far-reaching, from guiding complex clinical decisions to mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals. His deep understanding of patient needs and keen interest in health informatics have made Dr Adkins a cornerstone of Brisbane South PHN's Evidence Translation and Innovation team.
About the role of a Brisbane South PHN clinical advisor
As a clinical advisor, Dr Adkins assists various team projects and helps guide program design and implementation by providing advice based on clinical research and guidelines, clinical opinion, as well as through consultation with peers and people with lived experience. We can see some of his work in HealthPathways developments, outpatient reform, the Health Provider Portal/The Viewer and Enterprise Discharge Summary development.
During Dr Adkin's 20 years of service, he was involved with GP Divisions, Medicare Locals and, as we now know it, Primary Health Networks. This year, in 2024, Dr Adkins celebrates his 20 years with GP Divisions, Medicare Locals and PHN as we have continued to evolve and adapt to help support and enhance primary care in our region.
He took some time out of his busy schedule to tell us a little about how his career began and share some of his reflections on an ever-changing primary care landscape.
Dr Adkins (right) in 1983 during an audio-teleconference — a method of providing educational support for doctors training in rural areas of Queensland from 1983 to 1986. (Image supplied by Dr Peter Adkins)
From hospital intern to Assistant State Director
In 1977, Dr Adkins was employed at Princess Alexandra Hospital as an intern. He spent his first 10 weeks on rotation at Mount Isa Hospital in one of Queensland's most remote provincial centres, with just one specialist surgeon while the visiting GPs provided obstetric cover. For Dr Adkins, this experience provided an understanding of rural and remote practice and the need for specific training and support for doctors working in these areas.
After completing his intern year, he spent a further 2 years in hospital rotations, and at the beginning of his final hospital year, he was encouraged to join the RACGP Family Medicine Program — a training program for doctors in general practice. At that time, there was no requirement for vocational training, and a doctor could set up as a solo GP after their intern year.
He recounts that he "was fortunate to undertake a general practice term at a large group practice in Mackay on rotation from Princess Alexandra Hospital in 1979."
"This general practice term and 2 subsequent general practice terms in Ipswich and Brisbane highlighted the positive aspects of general practice in the variety of clinical problems presenting. It also highlighted for me the benefits of working with colleagues in a group practice setting, the potential professional long-term relationships with patients and families, plus the ability to develop special interests, like sports medicine, for example."
In 1980 there was an oversupply of doctors wanting to enter general practice, so instead, Dr Adkins opted to take up a position at the RACGP Training Program (FMP) as a Trainee Liaison Officer organising general practice terms and liaising with FMP trainees (now called GP Registrars).
"In 1981, I successfully applied for the Medical Educator/Assistant State Director role with FMP (which was 0.8 educator role and 0.2 working in general practice). I continued with this until 1994. I returned in 1994 to full-time general practice in the Redlands shire until retiring from clinical practice in mid-2023."
Dr Adkins at a local healthcare workshop held at Brisbane South PHN in 2024.
In 20 years across GP Divisions, Medicare Locals and PHN, what’s changed in healthcare?
"Since 1979, significant changes have been made in general practice. The most noticeable have been the transition from solo/small group practices to larger group and corporate practices, a shift from acute/reactive care to more preventive and chronic/complex disease management, significant technological advances (information and diagnostics), changes in health care policies and funding and mandatory vocational training and continuing professional development requirements."
Dr Adkins acknowledges that practice management and clinical records software have revolutionised the ability to better manage preventive health care and chronic disease.
"Telehealth has also provided an additional option in delivering health care and SMS messaging has improved communication with patients. Pre-consultation questionnaires have assisted the ability to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the consultation."
"Decision support tools (e.g. drug interactions and alerts on critical results) have improved patient safety and recall and reminder systems have improved participation in health prevention and chronic disease management."
"Computer-generated prescribing and, more recently, electronic transmission of prescriptions (e-scripts) has benefited GPs and patients through improving medication safety and patient convenience. Recently, AI tools have come onto the health scene and have the potential to improve efficiency. In the area of continuing professional development and vocational training, digital technologies have improved access to educational resources (virtual conferences and online learning). Clinical and business analysis/audit tools have revolutionised information management and the ability to assess processes and outcomes in care, like the number of patients with diabetes meeting treatment targets, for example."
Congratulations and thank you
As we celebrate Dr Adkins' 20-year milestone, we extend our deepest gratitude for his unwavering service and dedication to the health and wellbeing of our local community.
Read more about Dr Adkins and his career journey on his LinkedIn: linkedin.com/posts/peter-adkins-9903b27b_forty-years-ago-the-racgp-family-medicine-activity