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Expand after-hours rebate window: RACGP
The college has said patients should be able to access higher subsidies from 6 pm on weeknights and midday on Saturdays.
The RACGP has said directing more funding to the General Practice After Hours Incentive Program would allow clinics to stay open longer.
A recent RACGP submission has called for changes to after-hours care that would increase the window in which patients can receive higher Medicare rebates when attending a general practice.
Delivered in response to the Department of Health and Aged Care’s Review of After Hours Primary Care Policies and Programs, the submission also says any new services should be incorporated into existing general practice infrastructure, as GPs ‘must be’ a part of any after-hours care.
‘Funding drives results,’ RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said in response to the submission. ‘By supporting GPs to provide this care, we can expand what we do, and keep more patients out of hospital.’
Dr Higgins also cautioned against pouring funding into other, less efficient areas of the healthcare system.
Last year, the Federal Government committed almost $144 million to improve access to primary care after-hours services, including $25.4 million for a Homelessness Support Program, $15.3 million for a PHN Multicultural Access Program and $7 million to support Healthdirect’s after-hours GP helpline.
It is also spending more than half a billion dollars on establishing 87 urgent care clinics, which the college has called ‘window dressing’ and said could provide more value for money if invested directly into general practice.
‘In my home of Mackay, there was previously an after-hours clinic that provided 24-hour care,’ she said.
‘However, after the Government made changes to the funding model, it’s now operated by emergency doctors, costs patients three times as much, and closes at 10 pm.
‘So, getting the funding model right is vital.’
The college submission states that increased funding via the General Practice After Hours Incentive Program would enable more clinics to operate outside of typical opening times, and that the six features of high-performing general practice – patient-centred, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, high-quality and accessible – should be taken into consideration.
It also warns that providing after-hours care should not add to the administrative burden currently experienced by GPs and practices, adding that digital interoperability, including the streamlining of all administrative aspects of service delivery, must be a priority.
‘It’s vital that GPs and practice teams are included in the design, operation, and evaluation of all after-hours primary care services,’ Dr Higgins said.
‘These services must be available to all patients, including those living in rural and regional areas, with special consideration given to vulnerable populations, and programs should be tailored to fit the needs of local communities.’
She also said the college is ‘ready to work with the Government to make this happen’, and reinforced that the primary aim should be ensuring the best long-term health outcomes for all patients.
‘Patients would prefer to see their usual GP and practice team,’ Dr Higgins said.
‘General practice acts as a central point of care for patients who are accessing care from multiple sources, and this is why we have expressed concern regarding existing after-hours models.
‘Best practice multidisciplinary care teams include GPs working alongside other healthcare professionals to achieve the best possible care.’
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