Grassroots GPs have developed a bold new primary healthcare funding model to better look after the health of Australians and tackle rising health costs as the population ages and chronic disease rates increase.
Released today, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ (RACGP) Vision for a Sustainable Health System proposes a major overhaul of the current funding system for general practice so that patients can be better supported in the community through local providers, reducing the need for expensive hospital treatment.
RACGP President Dr Frank R Jones said at the core of the new model was recognition that GP-led, well-resourced primary healthcare resulted in long term health savings and better outcomes for patients.
“Our new funding model has been developed by grassroots GPs who know what the issues are and what needs to change to make a system better for their patients,” Dr Jones said.
“Today the RACGP presented the model to Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley and we are urging the Government to seriously consider the changes proposed and recognise the long term health savings in primary, secondary and tertiary care that can be achieved by supporting and investing in general practice.
“When the right system is in place to look after people in the community, serious conditions such as heart disease and diabetes can be prevented and the severity of illnesses can also be reduced through improved management. This means that fewer people turn up to emergency departments where treatment costs can be more than 10 times those in general practice,” Dr Jones said.
The new model proposes a major overhaul of the current way general practice is funded, replacing Practice Incentive Payments (PIPs) and Service Incentive Payments (SIPs) with Practitioner and Practice Support Payments. These new payments are designed to better support GPs and their practices to deliver a broad range of services, provide continuous care for their patients and operate in areas where they are most needed.
Key components of the new model:
- Support GPs with a comprehensiveness payment so they can provide a wide-range of services, depending on their community’s needs. More patients treated in the community reduces pressure on hospitals.
- Support GPs via a complexity payment to work where services are lacking. This will provide better services to patients who need them most.
- Bridge the gap between hospitals and primary healthcare via integration support payments to practices. This will mean better coordination and improved patient outcomes.
- Encourage voluntary patient enrolment so patients can enrol with a specific practice and a preferred GP. This will give patients a medical home and help GPs tailor services to their community.
“The current funding model for primary healthcare is not focused on the patient. Our new model will deliver quality, patient-focused care that will reap long term benefits for communities,” Dr Jones said.
“While the Government may see some of our proposals as a long term project, one change that can immediately be implemented is the reintroduction of annual indexation on Medicare rebates. Ending the freeze on rebates will mean GPs will not be forced to pass on growing health care costs to patients.
“Now is the time for change because health system demands will rise due to a growth in chronic disease rates and an ageing population that will see one in four people aged over 65 by 2060,” Dr Jones said.
The RACGP welcomes feedback on the model from the public and other stakeholder and all comments received will inform the ongoing development and refinement of the draft model.
People can read the consultation paper and provide feedback via a survey. The survey will remain active until Friday June 12.