Population health concerns itself with the measureable health outcomes of a defined population. The study and monitoring of diabetics attending a specific General Practice fit well within this definition.

The last ten to fifteen years have seen a dramatic rise in the scope for General Practice to involve itself in population health. It is accepted that General Practice has undergone significant evolution in that time. Episodic care is still important in General Practice but, increasingly, GPs spend their time involved in chronic disease management.

A population health approach develops this further by analysis of aggregated health outcomes. The contribution of Divisions of General Practice to the development of population health in primary care must be recognised. The collaborative program effectively supports this and the expertise that it engenders allows for the evolution of a more comprehensive approach.

This approach comprises targeted education, online decision support, standardisation of procedures and geo-epidemiology.

The rapid rise of computerisation in General Practice has made this possible. Properly used, IT can underpin the analysis of population health practice data and enable the identification of undiagnosed diabetics and the diagnosed who need extra assistance.

Medicare also supports this approach via the provision of funding mechanisms which reward CDM. It is vital that the rise in CDM activity be unequivocally linked to better population health outcomes rather than being an end in itself.

We explore this development and demonstrate that enhanced outcomes can result.