In Practice: New digital assignment of benefit form

This week’s In Practice also gives rural GPs the opportunity to contribute to a new submission for a Parliamentary inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), upcoming webinars on diabetes and aged care, a reminder about the RACGP research noticeboard, and a planned program on Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD).
 
New digital assignment of benefit form
A digital approval form is now available to support electronic assignment of benefit for telehealth services as an alternative to using verbal assignment.
 
The digital form is available to medical software providers through the Services Australia Health Systems Developer Portal. Health professionals are encouraged to discuss accessing this form with their software provider, as it can be integrated with clinical software and automated.
 
The use of the approved digital form, which collects required data fields and transmits this to the patient and seeks their signature electronically (for instance by clicking an ‘accept’ button), offers an alternative to the use of verbal assignment, which when used requires that the provider complete an approved form to document a patient’s verbal assignment and send it to the patient.
 
The Department of Health and Aged Care’s (DoHAC) FAQs page has more information on the assignment of benefit process for telehealth.
 
RACGP Rural: NDIS submission and Advanced Skills Stream
RACGP Rural is preparing a submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Parliamentary inquiry on participant experience in rural, regional and remote Australia, and the faculty is seeking member feedback to inform its response.
 
Interested members can email rural@racgp.org.au by 5.00 pm (AEDT), Monday 22 January. 
 
Rural members are also reminded that they can apply for the Workforce Incentive Program Rural Advanced Skills Stream now available on the DoHAC website.
 
Doctors will need to complete separate application forms when applying for Stream 1: Emergency Medicine, and Stream 2: Advanced Skills payments. Payments are backdated until 1 January 2023. 
   
Those working in a rural/remote community in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health who do not hold a Rural Generalist (RG) recognised Fellowship are still eligible to apply for Stream 2. There is a list of specific approved locations for ‘GP only’ and RG candidates to apply for this payment in the documentation. Some members may also be eligible for RG recognition through the Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience process. 
 
For assistance completing the application form, contact the Rural Health Workforce Agency in the state and territory in which the most services are being provided.
 
Upcoming webinars: Measuring outcomes for diabetes and aged care
RACGP Specific Interests is inviting members to join upcoming webinars that can contribute to crucial Measuring Outcomes (MO) CPD hours in the areas of diabetes and aged care.
 
Hosted by Specific Interest Chairs, both webinars will focus on their area of interest and provide ideas on quality improvement initiatives that can be implemented into practice.
 
Measuring your outcomes for diabetes with Dr Gary Deed
Date: Tuesday 23 January, 7.00 – 8.00 pm (AEDT)
CPD: 1 EA hour
Register online.
 
Measuring your outcomes in aged care with Dr Anthony Marinucci
Date: Thursday 8 February, 7.00 – 8.00 pm (AEDT)
CPD: 1 EA hour
Register online.
 
GP research noticeboard reminder
The RACGP GP Research Project Noticeboard presents surveys and research projects that GPs can get involved in.
 
Current projects listed on the noticeboard include ‘Probucol in Alzheimer’s disease’ and ‘reducing onset of type 2 diabetes among women with previous gestational diabetes’.
 
The RACGP supports GPs undertaking research that contributes to the knowledge base of the profession and has a list of projects that members can contribute to. GPs can also submit their research projects to the noticeboard to invite participation from the general practice community.
 
Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence
RACGP Victoria has released and updated the MATOD program that has been redeveloped to be more robust and comprehensive in all areas of opioid-agonist therapy.
 
It will include case studies, clinical scenarios, clinical audits and quizzes to increase knowledge and confidence in the pharmacotherapy space. The program will look at opioid-agonist therapy from many perspectives, including nurse practitioner care and pharmacy involvement to build a collaborative care approach.
 
It also provides resources and contacts to assist in all stages of pharmacotherapy prescribing. 
 
Members interested in updating or refreshing their knowledge, including those curious about exploring opioid-agonist therapy, are invited to join the online, self-paced and self-directed program.
 
Submit an expression of interest to be the first to hear of the release.
 
Time: From early January
Location: Online
CPD: Up to 8 hours EA; 3.5 hours MO; 9.5 hours RP.
 
Log in below to join the conversation.

aged care diabetes digital assignment of benefit disability In Practice MATOD Medicare NDIS research telehealth