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Life on the COVID-19 front line for two Canberra doctors When Dr Sharmila Sambandam (below) and Dr Eu Jern Tan (right) joined Ochre Health’s Garran Medical Centre 10 months ago, they were looking forward to a focus on their special interests: weight management for Dr Sambandam and skin cancer for Dr Tan. Then COVID-19 hit! “Things have been changing so rapidly to ensure the safety of our patients,” Dr Sambandam says. “Initially, we rescheduled respiratory patents to the end of the day so that they could still be reviewed. Once telehealth consultations were initiated, we were able to see patients in the safety of their homes via phone or video, and refer them for testing should they be unwell and meet the relevant criteria.” “It works very well, although some patients still need face-toface consultations. However, as Emergency Departments are not places people should go for minor ailments at the moment, the service a GP provides is more important than ever.” Her colleague Dr Tan agrees: “Having research experience in Influenza, I would highly recommend everyone gets an influenza vaccination early this year, as per the government’s advice. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the optimisation of everyone’s health through various means including vaccinations is crucial in reducing poorer outcomes.
We are currently running dedicated flu clinics which are very safe. Our triage staff are dressed in full PPE (personal protective equipment). We also stagger appointments to make sure we never have too many patients in the same area at any one time.” “Anybody could have COVID-19,” says Dr Sambandam. “I am aware of the personal risk of bringing something home, because we are the frontline. At the same time, I have a duty and I love my job. When I come home, my daughter comes running to me – just these days she has to wait until I’ve had a shower!” “At home, we use an ethanol solution to thoroughly wipe down any plastic bags or packages we bring in from outside,” says Dr Tan. “You could use any commercialgrade disinfectant product instead. We have a designated area for this, where we put our groceries into clean containers before transferring them inside. Keeping safe is all about hygiene, especially through regular handwashing with soap or hand sanitizer.” “We doctors are part of a team of many health professionals out there fighting for our community,” says Dr Sambandam. “We encourage everybody to adhere to social distancing measures and the medical advice provided to help us stop the spread of the virus, protect your loved ones, and save lives. It is a team effort for all Australians!” Dr Tan and Dr Sambandam practice from Ochre Health’s Garran Medical Centre, 2 Garran Place, (02) 6281 0033
Medicare-supported phone or video appointments for all patients Flu shots available and highly recommended
02 6281 0033 | ochrehealth.com.au Advertorial 10
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Allira was diagnosed with melanoma at 22 and, almost seven years later, with Stage 4 metastatic melanoma. She went through adjuvant immune-therapy treatment and welcomed the announcement it will be made accessible to everyone through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Image supplied.
Affordable access to melanoma treatment Eligible patients will now have affordable access to melanoma treatment options on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The Federal Government recently announced the current PBS listing of Opdivo (nivolumab) will be expanded to include adjuvant treatment of completely resected stage IIIB, IIIC, IIID and stage IV malignant melanoma. Immuno-oncology treatments, like Opdivo, use the body’s natural defences – the immune system – to fight cancer. Associate Professor Matteo Carlino, medical oncologist and lead investigator at the Melanoma Institute Australia, welcomed this PBS listing as an important new option for healthcare practitioners. “Traditionally, once patients finished their primary treatment (usually surgery), the approach was to watch and wait, hoping the cancer did not return. Now, adjuvant treatment can help reduce the risk of cancer returning for some patients with a higher risk of melanoma coming back.” Local resident Allira was diagnosed with melanoma at 22. “It was a normal mole on my right arm but in hindsight it showed all the signs,” she said, including being itchy, changing colour and bleeding. “Dad saw it on my arm and said I should get it checked. I knew what
was going on wasn’t great but I was in denial.” Allira underwent surgery, was given the all clear and, as advised, remained vigilant and continued to have regular scans. Almost seven years later she was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic melanoma after tests found a lump on her arm and tumour in her lung, both of which were surgically removed. At the time Allira started adjuvant immune-therapy treatment, she said it cost about $3,000 per fortnight. “That was very stressful and I thought we would be paying that all year.” Thankfully, she said, there was a bridging program which came into effect about three months into her treatment program and “from that point the drug company covered the cost of it”. It is expected the PBS listing will provide welcome financial relief for those accessing the treatment. It is estimated more than 1,500 patients might otherwise pay more than $100,000 per course of treatment without the PBS subsidy. The Federal Government is also expanding the listing of Opdivo and Yervoy (nivolumab and ipilimumab) to allow use as a first-line therapy in the treatment of BRAF V600 mutant positive Stage III or Stage IV unresectable or metastatic melanoma. - Allison Turnbull