GPs urged to show caution when joining PIP QI

The Practice Incentive Program Quality Improvement (PIP QI) Incentive requires accredited general practices to share de-identified, aggregated data with local Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and participate in quality improvement activities.
 
In return, practices will receive financial remuneration, as well as information to help review and improve performance. It has also been designed to allow GPs to have a greater role in managing the health of their whole practice population.
 
Recently released guidelines finalised many details surrounding eligibility requirements and data sharing expectations for the twice-delayed program, but GPs and practices are still being urged to fully consider the arrangements before signing up.
 
In particular, Dr Rob Hosking, Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Practice Technology and Management (REC–PTM), told newsGP practice owners need to ensure appropriate data governance and risk management is followed.
 
‘The current model of data going to the PHN is more than is required for the PIP QI and yet some GPs are being told they have to provide all of it to receive the incentive, which is not correct,’ he said.
 
‘Under the rules of the PIP QI, GPs only have to provide 10 data elements. To complicate things further, issues remain with some of the main extraction tools, which seem to be unable to extract the 10 data elements only.
 
‘If in doubt, it’s probably best to wait at this point in time. We have until at least mid-October to sign up and provide data.’
 
Current figures indicate around 55% of eligible practices have already signed up, and in turn will receive $5 per Standard Whole Patient Equivalents (SWPEs) per year, capped at $50,000 per practice.
 
Dr Michael Wright, Chair of RACGP Expert Committee – Funding and Health System Reform, told newsGP the college is supportive of PIP QI, but agrees practices should be mindful that there are a range of outstanding issues still being worked through.
 
‘For the purposes of the PIP-QI, practices just need to share data about the 10 improvement measures with their PHN, along with some de-identified practice level demographics. Practices may want to share more data but that is beyond the PIP QI process,’ he said.
 
‘Before signing up, practice owners should make sure that any data sharing agreement meets their needs, and have clear explanation of risk and privacy obligations. We understand that the department is developing guidance for these agreements in response to concerns raised by RACGP and other groups.

‘We understand that this guidance will be available very soon. The cut-off for the first data sharing is not until mid-October, so there is still time to work all the outstanding issues, and practices do not need to rush into anything.
 
‘The RACGP is working hard to address these and other issues through the department.’ 
 
More information on PIP QI can be found here. GPs with concerns around individual contracts or data collection arrangements are advised to contact their local PHN.

department of health funding incentives PIP QI