HealthCert Blog

Did you know Australia has the highest melanoma rate in the world? Melanoma is the most common cancer affecting 20- to 39-year-olds. One Australian is diagnosed with the disease every 30 minutes, and one loses their life every five hours.

There are steps you can take to meet patient demand for high-quality skin cancer care and help lessen the burden of this deadly disease in Australia.

How you can take steps to beat melanoma

This month’s Melanoma March is a timely reminder about the importance of providing your patients with fast and effective skin cancer diagnoses and treatments. As over one million skin cancers are treated each year in Australia, it’s vital that every GP has the knowledge and skills to address our “national cancer”.

You can learn more in the Professional Diploma program in Skin Cancer Medicine – fully CPD accredited, quality-assured by Bond University, and available online or with practical workshops. Get started today.

In your everyday practice, you can reduce your patients’ melanoma risk and assist with early detection by:

• Learning how to identify suspicious characteristics that might indicate skin cancer.
• Upskilling in topical and surgical skin cancer treatments that can be performed in primary care.
• Understanding when to refer patients onwards and where to send them for timely treatment.
• Educating your patients about the ABCs of melanoma and how to self-monitor their own skin.
• Providing your patients with sun safety advice and an understanding of their melanoma risk.
• Forward-booking your patients to see you every year for a full-body skin examination.
• Supporting Melanoma Institute Australia’s Melanoma March event.

Melanoma resources for your practice

We have prepared some helpful resources about melanoma detection and prevention for you and your patients. Download the skin cancer patient resources and your Medicare billing guide here.

You can learn more in the Professional Diploma program in Skin Cancer Medicine – fully CPD accredited, quality-assured by Bond University, and available online or with practical workshops. Get started today.