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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Reducing patient accessibility barriers in the clinical setting
Hannah McPierzie is a globally respected presenter, disability advocate, and educator who offers a unique perspective on disability and communication. She lives with Neurofibromatosis Type 2, a rare degenerative condition, and has two auditory brainstem implants. After 15 years teaching in the disability sector, Hannah acquired disability herself in 2020, when life-saving surgery left her deafblind.
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Empowering underprivileged communities with sustainable health
Dr Gaj Panagoda, CEO of Xstitch Health, has a diverse medical background and is working to improve health systems for underprivileged communities. In the Australian Health Journal’s People In Health Care series, he talks about the changes needed in community-based care using a project based approach,
According to Dr Panagoda, there is a need for a shift towards community-based care and collaboration with stakeholders in the healthcare system, and the potential to create a new kind of socially conscious, inspired, community-informed medical specialist is the future of medical specialty care.
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Clinical research integrates with GP and Pharmacist workflows to supplement practice revenue
Clinical trials are crucial to the development of evidence-based preventative medicines. In addition, participation in clinical trials can also provide patients with opportunities to access new treatments.
“Clinical trials are at the heart of medical advances which look into new ways to treat, prevent, or detect disease. Volunteers often do so to help contribute to advancing scientific research, knowing that they are participating in the hope of helping future generations,” said Charlotte Bradshaw, CEO and Founder to Evrima Technologies.
