General practice tool kit

Your practice premises

Outsourcing services

Last revised: 24 Oct 2019

What services can be outsourced?

General practices often outsource some services so that the practice can focus on its core business of providing health care. Examples of services you could outsource include:

  • cleaning (eg of linen, of the practice’s premises)
  • facilities maintenance (eg security, automatic doors, lifts, lighting, air-conditioning)
  • IT management (eg software and support, testing of back-up, printers, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), IT security)
  • clinical equipment management (eg equipment sterilisation)
  • waste disposal (eg sharps containers, clinical waste)
  • off-site storage (eg patient health information, employee records).

Tip

You might also choose to employ allied health staff, such as dietitians, psychologists or physiotherapists, as part of your practice team.

Detailed contracts should be in place with each service provider. These contracts should identify and/or describe:

  • each party
  • the services and results to be achieved
  • the duration of contract
  • payments arrangements
  • the dispute resolution process
  • privacy agreements
  • Service Level Agreement (SLA) - An SLA establishes performance measures and service quality standards (eg service requirements and response times).

Contracts and SLAs with service providers should be based on best practice and adhere to legislative obligations relating to privacy and occupational health and safety . For your practice to be formally accredited, your contracts and SLAs must satisfy the RACGP Standards for general practice.

The RACGP recommends that you establish a working group responsible for IT governance, even if your practice uses an external IT provider.

As a business owner, your obligation to provide a safe workplace and system of work extends to service providers, contractors and their employees when they are on site.

Key resources

RACGP Standards for general practice
RACGP Infection prevention and control standards for general practices and other office-based and community-based practices
RACGP Information Security in General practice

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