Doctors have presented Health Minister Sussan Ley with a blueprint for Medicare reform that pays GPs extra to treat complex patients, provide comprehensive services, and co-ordinate care between different healthcare providers.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners delivered its proposals to Ms Ley on Wednesday.
A range of new payments would replace existing Practice Incentive Payments and Service Incentive Payments under the plan.
Under the proposal, as well as receiving fees for services, doctors would receive a loading for treating indigenous patients, patients of low socio-economic status and elderly patients and for operating in rural areas.
Practices would receive a payment for each patient enrolled with it, and those that delivered a wide range of services, such as after-hours services, home care, palliative care and aged care in the community would be eligible for a new “comprehensiveness payment”.
GPs or practices could also receive payments to co-ordinate the care of their patients between different health providers, to employ nurses, teach students, conduct research, and upgrade or maintain IT and infrastructure.
The plan does not identify the cost of the changes.
Dr Frank R Jones, president of the general practicioners group, said the new model was underpinned by the notion that GP-led, well-resourced primary healthcare would deliver long-term health savings and better outcomes for patients.
“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.