Regional physician rewarded

BALLARAT Community Health’s Dr Adam Straub has been awarded the Victorian Rural Health Award for outstanding contribution by a rural medical specialist.

The award recognises Dr Staub’s dedication to improving the health and wellbeing of patients across the state.

Dr Straub is the only addiction medicine physician in rural Victoria and has been instrumental in the development of Ballarat Community Health’s opioid management clinic.

The clinic first opened in 2022 for four hours a week and now operates 15 hours weekly.

This May, Ballarat Community Health began operating a clinic in Bendigo every second month which has been fully booked.

“Starting the addiction medicine service in Western Victoria has been exciting and challenging,” said Dr Straub.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with many fantastic GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners, practice managers and pharmacists across the Grampians and Loddon Mallee regions.

“I hope to grow this service into the future.”

The clinic has more than 100 active patients from across Victoria with around 75 per cent of appointments via telehealth.

“If we didn’t have this clinic, we would have dozens if not hundreds of people needing access to the services that they require,” said Mr Straub.

“The ability to provide care from someone’s home, is so important to me.

“I want my patients to feel listened to and heard without judgment.”

CEO of Ballarat Community Health, Sean Duffy, said the award celebrates the efforts of the Ballarat Community Health team as well as Dr Straub.

“This approach to critical healthcare, combining telehealth and in-person appointments, has set a new standard for rural health services, whilst reaching some of the most isolated or at-risk individuals across the region,” he said.

“We’re proud to have Dr. Straub provide this clinic across our region and congratulate him and the team for their ongoing advocacy.”