The centre has won the Group’s prestigious annual award for 'Most Improved Health Outcomes' in NSW for 2018.

The award is based on the medical centre improving clinical measures for coronary heart disease and diabetes across 500 patients by more than 15 per cent over the course of last year.

Associate Professor John Dearin, lead doctor for the Ochre Medical Centre in Lithgow, said “we are delighted to have won this award. It is the result of wonderful team cooperation across the practice to identify and work with patients whose care requires comprehensive management". 

"For these people, we have implemented appropriate strategies in line with current best practice, resulting in greatly improved health outcomes.

“Our award, and indeed the Ochre Health outcomes measurement program itself, reinforce the ideals of General Practice in medicine to make sure patient care is comprehensive rather than ad hoc or episodic."

In a statement, the Ochre Health Group stated it had tracked patient health outcomes since 2006 as a way of measuring the positive impact of its clinics on community health and also as a way of improving the quality of the healthcare services provided. 

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"The organisation records various clinical indicators for diabetes and coronary heart disease then builds them into an Overall Quality Index (OQI) which is plotted and tracked over time against averages and goals across all of its medical centres around Australia," the statement said. 

The Ochre Medical Centre in Lithgow has 200 coronary heart disease patients and 300 diabetes patients. The Overall Quality Index of health measures for these patients improved from 32 per cent to 38 per cent in 12 months.

This includes improvements in measures for blood pressure, lipids and blood sugars, and it translates directly into real improvements in the health of these patients – less loss of vision and blindness, a lower incidence of kidney disease, and fewer limb amputations and heart attacks.

“I want to congratulate my Lithgow medical colleagues, our practice nurse Wendy Dukes, our practice manager Jennifer Corney, and all of our reception staff for their diligence and enthusiasm to achieve such an excellent result,” Professor Dearin said. 

Practice Manager Jennifer Corney said the Ochre Medical Centre in Lithgow was very focused on improving the health of the local community.

“We want our patients to know and trust us for our quality care, our friendly service and our values," she said.