Dr Ramya Raman regularly contributes to the discourse about general practice, healthcare policy and the issues affecting GPs. Explore her published articles, interviews and media appearances
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Recognising and responding to domestic violence
Medical Forum • 18 March 2026
In this article, Dr Ramya Raman explores the important role GPs can play in recognising and responding to family and domestic violence. She discusses why general practice is often a critical first point of contact for victim-survivors, and highlights the need for early identification, sensitive support and appropriate intervention.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Urgent care clinics – are they working as intended?
Medical Forum • 10 March 2026
Dr Ramya Raman contributes to this Medical Forum investigation into WA’s expanding Medicare urgent care clinics and whether mainstream general practice is being sidelined in the process. The piece weighs the benefits of UCCs against ongoing concerns from GPs about the future of primary care.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Access without safety isn’t reform – it’s risk
Medicus (AMA WA) • March 2026
Dr Ramya Raman takes a clear-eyed stance on the expansion of pharmacy prescribing, arguing that reframing prescribing as a retail service strips out the clinical judgement that keeps patients safe. From missed contraindications to lost opportunities for screening and early intervention, she warns that access without safety is not reform and calls on policymakers to invest in general practice instead.
What role could a Chief GP Advisor play in WA?
Medical Forum • 17 February 2026
Central to this Medical Forum feature is Dr. Ramya Raman on the RACGP WA’s call for a state Chief GP Advisor. The piece examines how the proposed role could improve collaboration between primary and secondary care and take meaningful pressure off WA’s strained hospital system.
Read the article on Medical Forum
General Practice: The quiet engine room of the health system
Medical Forum • 26 November 2025
Dr Ramya Raman makes the case for general practice as the backbone of Australian healthcare often invisible, always essential. Drawing on the RACGP’s 2025 Health of the Nation report, she argues that a single well-timed preventive consultation is one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools in the health system.
Read the article on Medical Forum
67% and climbing
Medicus (AMA WA) • November 2025
Dr Ramya Raman reflects on ABS Patient Experiences data showing 67.2% of Australians can reliably see their preferred GP, a strong signal that continuity remains the backbone of our health system. She draws on international evidence linking long-term GP relationships to lower hospitalisation rates and argues that funding models must shift from throughput to relationship-driven care.
GPs’ check-up for WA’s health system
Medical Forum • 15 October 2025
Dr Ramya Raman led a delegation of GPs to the steps of WA Parliament, presenting four concrete measures to reduce hospital pressure from post-discharge GP follow-up and after-hours funding, to expanded immunisation access and a Chief GP Advisor role. Her message was clear: with targeted investment in primary care, GPs can take significant strain off the state’s hospitals.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Chronic disease management – a guide to new changes
Medical Forum • 7 October 2025
Dr Ramya Raman features in this Medical Forum deep-dive into the 2025 reforms to Medicare chronic disease management items. The piece examines the changes GPs need to understand quickly from new item structures to MyMedicare registration requirements, as CDM reform begins to take effect.
Read the article on Medical Forum
‘Gold standard’ of general practice recognised with new Fellows
Medical Forum • 26 September 2025
Dr Ramya Raman congratulated 84 West Australian GPs on receiving their RACGP Fellowship, recognising the gold standard of general practice. Speaking as RACGP Vice President and WA Chair at the ceremony, she highlighted the stories of newly recognised Fellows making a difference in rural and remote WA communities.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Scope of practice: GP’s expertise in writing a script
Medical Forum • 3 September 2025
A repeat prescription is anything but routine according to Dr. Ramya Raman. Safe prescribing draws on years of training, comprehensive patient history, and a trusted long-term GP relationship. In this guest column, she makes the case for keeping prescribing firmly within the GP’s scope of practice.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Continuity counts
Medicus (AMA WA) • July 2025
Dr Ramya Raman unpacks the OECD’s inaugural PaRIS 2025 survey findings, which confirm what GPs have long known: patients who see the same GP consistently report dramatically better care. With 97% of long-term patients rating their care as good to excellent, versus 79% of those without continuity, she argues the data gives policymakers no excuse to keep ignoring the relational core of general practice.
Is it time for a scope of practice revamp?
Medical Forum • 17 June 2025
Dr Ramya Raman shares her perspective on Australia’s national scope of practice review and what it means for the future of general practice. The article examines the shifting boundaries between GP-led and allied health care in the wake of the review and the 2025 federal election.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Period poverty – a bloody big problem
Medical Forum • 20 May 2025
Lending her voice to this Medical Forum feature, Dr. Ramya Raman examines period poverty in WA, where over 65% of surveyed Australians find it difficult to afford menstrual products. The piece explores the GP’s role in identifying and supporting patients facing this often-hidden burden.
Read the article on Medical Forum
New PBS listings for women’s health
Medical Forum • 2 May 2025
Dr Ramya Raman welcomes landmark PBS listing changes for women’s health, covering endometriosis, contraception, and IVF, calling them a crucial step towards health equity. Speaking as RACGP WA Chair, she outlines what these listings mean for patients accessing care through general practice.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Fragmented care – why bother?
Medicus (AMA WA) • April 2025
Dr Ramya Raman examines how fragmented healthcare funding is creating measurably worse outcomes for patients particularly in rural and regional Australia. Using a compelling case study, she argues that when funding creates silos, patients fall through the cracks, and calls for systemic reform of how general practice is organised and resourced.
Why invest in general practice?
Medicus (AMA WA) • February 2025
Dr Ramya Raman makes the case for a 40% increase to Medicare rebates for longer GP consultations, drawing on a vivid patient encounter to show policymakers what a specialist GP actually does in the room. This opinion piece cuts through the debate to ask: do decision-makers understand the true complexity of what GPs provide?
Acknowledging inequalities in global health
newsGP (RACGP) • 15 December 2023
Dr Ramya Raman writes on the lasting impact of colonial history on global health systems and the urgent need to address deep-seated inequalities in medicine. The piece calls on health professionals, educators, and organisations to critically examine power structures, embrace community expertise, and reform education to build a more equitable healthcare future.
College head visits Geraldton
Medical Forum • 8 September 2023
Dr Ramya Raman joined RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins on a visit to Geraldton as WA Faculty Chair, meeting GP teams on the ground in one of WA’s key regional centres. The trip offered a firsthand look at rural workforce challenges and the innovative solutions emerging from the ground up.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Generative AI and the future of medicine
newsGP (RACGP) • 8 September 2023
Dr Ramya Raman reflects on what generative AI and large language models like ChatGPT could mean for the future of medicine. This opinion piece considers whether AI might displace clinical knowledge workers, how it’s already embedded in everyday tools, and what the profession needs to grapple with across governance, liability, and workforce disruption.
UTI pharmacy prescribing – doctors reply
Medical Forum • 8 September 2023
Dr Ramya Raman responds to Medical Forum’s questions on WA’s pharmacist UTI prescribing trial, addressing patient safety risks, antimicrobial resistance concerns, and privacy issues. As RACGP WA Chair, she makes the case for why fragmenting care away from GPs ultimately harms the patients it aims to help.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Helping refugees access WA’s health care
Medical Forum • 12 July 2023
Dr Ramya Raman is among the GPs contributing perspectives to this Medical Forum feature on refugee health care in WA. The piece examines the critical role general practice plays in delivering patient-centred, culturally responsive care for some of the community’s most vulnerable members.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Antimicrobial stewardship – the path to least resistance
Medical Forum • 21 February 2023
Dr Ramya Raman argues that antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing threats to global health and that expanding the number of prescribers only accelerates it. In this guest column, she calls for antimicrobial stewardship to be front and centre in any discussion about pharmacy prescribing rights.
Read the article on Medical Forum
In brief: December 2021
Medical Forum • December 2021
Dr Ramya Raman features in Medical Forum’s December 2021 news roundup.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Varicella zoster and pneumococcal vaccine counselling in elderly patients
Medical Forum • 8 November 2021
Dr Ramya Raman, co-authoring with Xavier Cornwall, outlines the clinical case for proactive vaccination counselling in elderly patients. The article covers the disease burden of herpes zoster and pneumococcal illness in older Australians and what GPs should be discussing with at-risk patients.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Recognising and tackling unconscious bias in clinical medicine
Medical Forum • 8 July 2021
Dr Ramya Raman explores how unconscious cognitive bias shapes clinical judgements in ways practitioners often don’t recognise. The article outlines the processes behind bias in medicine and practical steps clinicians can take to identify and counter it for safer, more equitable patient care.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Blended learning – digital transformation of medical education
Medical Forum • 5 March 2021
Dr Ramya Raman examines how COVID-19 forced a rapid transformation of medical education in WA, accelerating the adoption of blended learning and digital tools. The article explores what this shift looked like in practice and what lasting lessons the profession can take from it.
Read the article on Medical Forum
In brief: February 2021
Medical Forum • February 2021
Dr Ramya Raman features in Medical Forum’s February 2021 news roundup.
Read the article on Medical Forum
GP – working with the whole person
Medical Forum • 2 February 2021
Dr Ramya Raman is profiled by Ara Jansen in this Medical Forum piece on what it means to truly practise patient-centred care. She reflects on the values and philosophy behind her approach to general practice and why building long-term trust with patients is at the heart of everything she does.
Read the article on Medical Forum
’Fourth trimester’: a role for general practice
Medical Forum • 9 December 2020
Dr Ramya Raman, co-authoring with Notre Dame medical student Juan Stephen, explores the critical but often overlooked window of postnatal care. The article examines how GPs are uniquely placed to identify and support mothers experiencing postnatal depression during the so-called ‘fourth trimester’.
Read the article on Medical Forum
In brief: November 2020
Medical Forum • November 2020
Dr Ramya Raman features in Medical Forum’s November 2020 news roundup.
Read the article on Medical Forum
In brief: October 2020
Medical Forum • October 2020
Dr Ramya Raman features in Medical Forum’s October 2020 news roundup.
Read the article on Medical Forum
GPs in the COVID era
Medical Forum • 30 April 2020
Dr Ramya Raman features in this Medical Forum reflection on how general practice, the community’s health lifeline absorbed the first shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. The piece captures what it meant for GPs across WA to be on the frontline of an unprecedented public health crisis.
Read the article on Medical Forum
Is bulk-billing sustainable for a general practice?
The Check Up on ABC Drive • 3 June 2026
On ABC Perth Drive’s The Check-up, Dr Ramya Raman joins Oliver Peterson to discuss whether bulk-billing remains sustainable for Australian general practice. The conversation explores the impact of GP access challenges in regional communities such as Kalbarri, why the RACGP is calling for higher Medicare patient rebates, and what bulk-billing pressures mean for patients, GPs and the future of primary care.
Listen to “The Check Up” with Dr Ramya Raman on 102.5 ABC Drive
Everything asthma including common triggers
The Check Up on ABC Drive • 13 May 2026
Asthma is the focus of this ABC Perth Drive The Check-up segment, with Dr Ramya Raman sharing practical advice on common symptoms, triggers and everyday management. Speaking with Oliver Peterson, Dr Raman explains how seasonal changes can affect respiratory conditions, when patients should seek medical advice, and why flu vaccination is an important part of winter health planning.
Listen to “The Check Up” with Dr Ramya Raman on 102.5 ABC Drive
AI health advice can be risky
The Check Up on ABC Drive • 12 September 2026
From flu vaccination timing to the rise of “Dr AI”, Dr Ramya Raman shares practical health advice on ABC Perth Drive’s The Check-up. Speaking with Oliver Peterson, Dr Raman explains why AI-generated health advice should be treated with caution, how a GP can support patients to quit smoking, and when families should consider the flu jab, particularly when children are frequently unwell.
Listen to “The Check Up” with Dr Ramya Raman on 102.5 ABC Drive
GP pitch to relieve ambulance ramping
Mornings on ABC Radio • 14 October 2025
Addressing WA’s ongoing pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, Dr Ramya Raman joins Nadia Mitsopoulos on ABC WA Mornings to outline the RACGP’s GP-led pitch to help relieve ambulance ramping. As WA Chair and Vice President of the RACGP, Dr Raman discusses how strengthening general practice and improving access to primary care can support patients earlier, reduce avoidable hospital presentations, and ease pressure across the health system.
Listen Dr Ramya Raman on 102.5 ABC Mornings
WA’s GP workforce shortage
ABC Breakfast • 6 October 2025
As new data revealed Western Australia had the lowest number of GPs of any Australian state, Dr Ramya Raman joined Mark Gibson on ABC Perth Breakfast to discuss what this means for patients, clinics and access to care. Speaking as RACGP WA Chair, Dr Raman highlighted the pressures facing general practice in WA and the need to strengthen the GP workforce so communities can access timely, high-quality primary care.
Listen Dr Ramya Raman on 102.5 ABC Breakfast
Should GP visits be free?
Hack on Triple J • 11 February 2025
With many young Australians delaying GP visits because of cost-of-living pressures, Dr Ramya Raman joins Dave Marchese on triple j Hack to discuss the RACGP’s call for free GP visits. Speaking as Vice President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Raman explores how improving access to affordable general practice can support early care, reduce barriers for patients, and strengthen Australia’s primary healthcare system.
Listen Dr Ramya Raman on Triple J’s Hack program
Managing weight loss…
ABC Drive • 12 September 2023
Dr Ramya Raman joins Jo Trilling on ABC Drive as the program’s resident GP to share practical, evidence-based tips for managing weight loss. The discussion highlights how patients can approach weight management in a sustainable way, the role of general practice in supporting long-term health goals, and why personalised medical advice matters when making lifestyle changes.
Listen Dr Ramya Raman on 102.5 ABC Drive
Current diphtheria outbreak in northern Australia
The Good GP Podcast • 2 June 2026
On The Good GP, Dr Ramya Raman is joined by public health physician Dr Paul Victor Effler to examine the current diphtheria outbreak in northern Australia. Together, they unpack the clinical features of diphtheria, when GPs should suspect it, testing and public health responses, and the role of vaccination in protecting high-risk communities.
Listen to Episode 246 on The Good GP Podcast
Asthma reset – what’s changed for adults and kids
The Good GP Podcast • 26 May 2026
Dr Ramya Raman speaks with paediatric respiratory physician Dr Stephen Oo on The Good GP to explore the latest updates to the Australian Asthma Handbook and their impact on asthma management in general practice. The discussion unpacks changes to reliever therapy, the shift toward treating airway inflammation, and practical approaches to asthma care for adults, adolescents and children.
Listen to Episode 245 on The Good GP Podcast
Measles Outbreak Preparedness: Essential Knowledge for GPs
The Good GP Podcast • 15 April 2026
With measles cases remaining a concern for Australian general practice, Dr Ramya Raman discusses the essential knowledge GPs need to recognise, test and respond to suspected measles. The episode covers measles symptoms, vaccination, risk factors, infection control and public health notification, with a focus on practical outbreak preparedness.
Listen to Episode 199 on The Good GP Podcast
Building Real Solutions for Everyday GP Challenges
The Good GP Podcast • 22 January 2026
Dr Ramya Raman discusses the RACGP Hackathon 2026 with Dr Sean Stevens and Dr Amandeep Hansra, exploring how clinician-led innovation can help solve everyday challenges in general practice. The conversation highlights what a healthcare hackathon involves, who should apply, and how digital health and practical innovation can support GPs, patients and the future of primary care.
