The sustainability of general practice: Key issues and challenges
On-demand recorded 1 Sep 2022
This webinar procides an overview of issues that impact practice sustainability and GP income. It covers:
- the need for GPs and practices to explore and consider ways to maximise their revenue beyond the MBS
- GP remuneration rates compared to other medical specialists
- lack of proper indexation of MBS rebates
- impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business of general practice
- the benefits of a mixed billing model (combination of bulk billing and private billing)
- costs of running a practice (eg rent, consumables, insurance)
- the importance of GP self-care to achieve an optimal work-life balance.
The webinar also features a demonstration of the RACGP’s updated billing calculator to assist individual GPs/practices to determine appropriate fees in view of costs and desired income.
Learning outcomes
- Identify factors that impact general practice business sustainability, including practice and personal costs, and make decisions about billing based on these factors
- Identify opportunities to improve sustainability such as adjustments to billing and income streams beyond the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
- Review how the RACGP’s billing calculator tool can assist with setting fees for services
This event is part of Improving the sustainability of your practice. Events in this series are:
Facilitator
Dr Emil Djakic
Chair – RACGP Business Sustainability Working Group
Emil is a practice owner in north-west Tasmania. He is Deputy Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Funding and Health System Reform (REC-FHSR) and Chair of the RACGP’s Business Sustainability Working Group. He was also Chair of the Australian General Practice Network until 2012. Emil is passionate about working with GPs to maintain practice viability.
Presenter
Dr Colin Metz
Member – RACGP Business Sustainability Working Group
Dr Colin Metz graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in 1981. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and has been an RACGP Expert Committee – Funding and Health Systems Reform member for the past six years. Dr Metz has special interests in executive health, chronic disease management, mental health and sports medicine. He also holds a Masters in Business Administration and is a member of the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators. He has been a practice owner of a multidisciplinary health centre with eight GP consulting rooms for over 13 years.