Part 3: Healthcare Practitioners
Since first opening our doors in 1997, Consilo has built a reputation for design and building excellence in therapeutic industries. When it comes to unique, sophisticated office fitouts, Brisbane healthcare practitioners know to turn to Consilo.
But our practice is about much more than interior design. As a registered builder, we ensure that every job complies with stringent Australian building regulations. As a builder who caters specifically to therapeutic facilities, we also make sure that everything we do conforms to Australian healthcare guidelines.
In the latest blog in our series on refurbishments, we focus on the ARTG – Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods – which regulates the supply, import, and export of healthcare equipment and consumables in Australia. We discuss what purpose the ARTG serves, what products it covers, and explain how Consilo can help your practice navigate the process during the refurbishment of your practice.
The ARTG: What Is IT and What Purpose Does It Serve?
The ARTG is the official register of equipment and consumables for use in Australian therapeutic industries, which include the medical and dental industries.
The fundamental purpose of the ARTG is to protect patients. In order to be effective, any therapeutic good – be it an antibiotic medicine or a hospital bed – needs to modify the body in some way. This brings with it inherent risks, and it is these risks the ARTG is there to assess and minimise.
Each entry in the register includes information such as the product name, classification, ingredients (for medicines), sponsor, and manufacturer. In order for products to be registered, they must be demonstrated to meet Australian standards of quality, safety, efficacy, and performance.
What is Covered and What is Excluded Under the ARTG
The ARTG includes all goods intended for therapeutic use in Australia. This includes everything from over-the-counter medicines for common ailments to antibiotic courses and chemotherapy regimens. Whether the medicine is approved or denied a place in the register is decided based on the risk-benefit analysis.
The same process applies to therapeutic equipment such as dentist’s chairs and drills, physical therapy tables and chairs, bandages, blood pressure pads, and many other items commonly found in healthcare practices.
A small number of items are excluded or exempt from the ARTG, such as homeopathic remedies, sterilants and disinfectants, and as-yet unapproved items undergoing medical testing.
How Consilo Can Help
Every ARTG entry must have a sponsor who takes responsibility for the application and maintenance of that product’s place in the register. Consilo takes on this role, completing the application and entry process so that our clients are able to source the highest quality medical equipment from around the globe.
When selecting the materials and equipment for your refurbishment, you will be able to choose from an extensive range of therapeutic goods for which this application process has already been completed. If the equipment you choose is not yet on the ARTG, then we can handle the paperwork and streamline the process for you.
Contact Consilo Today
If you are planning or considering a refurbishment of your existing practice or you want to set up a new practice, Consilo’s team of specialists are ready to talk you through it. We work closely with you to create the space you want, and we think of all our projects as unique collaborations between ourselves and our clients.
