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Doctors drop allied care option

Discussion in 'Australia' started by admin, Sep 9, 2005.

  1. admin

    admin Administrator Staff Member


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    From Sydney Morning Herald
     
  2. Cameron

    Cameron Well-Known Member

    Netizens

    The article does highlight rather nicely one of the potential problems involved when there is a ‘Gate keeper to Health’ system based on fiscal controls. The overall Governmental concern to restrain health care provision can not only restrict public access but constrain provision to the populous. This is a very important matter when it comes to the health of a nation, not to mention the fate of supplementary professions such as podiatry and in this case, physiotherapy. The unthinkable becomes thinkable and under these circumstances if these professions are to continue to serve the public it will be out with the supported health care system. The existing government policies are likely to accelerate this change and professions are left to adapt. In other words podiatry has (already) lost it ability to control its destiny.


    One example of this is deconstruction of the service which is already evident in Australia and US and distinctly happening in the UK. Three things are now predictable.

    The number of doctors in training will increase and their clinical scope of practice will embrace other disciplines as restricted practice becomes less protected by law.

    Foot care will remain buoyant because it is an essential service and will thrive in the private sector when combined with beauty therapy.

    Specialist podiatry will initially remain in the public sector but gradually become incorporated into other disciplines as specialist podiatrists are grandparented.

    The writing as they say is on the wall and I think there is really very little can be done now (as a profession) other than evolve. Time to bury the hatchet and get on with a new order.

    What say you

    Cameron
    Hey, what do I know?
     
  3. One Foot In The Grave

    One Foot In The Grave Active Member

    A-ha..the penny drops. I had wondered why I'd seen my first three GP Care Plans this year, when I'd seen none in the previous 10! Someone's paying them to care (plan).

    Shouldn't an essential part of every care plan be appropriate referrals to approrpriate professions??
     
  4. PF 3

    PF 3 Active Member

    I also get the feeling that GP's who are using there computer systems i.e Medical Director and the like, properly are referring more. This is simply down to ease of creating a careplan from a proforma which must take no more than a minute. I have had one sent that infromed me the patient had type 2 Diabetes. This was news to the patient! The Gp had obviously just selected the wrong proforma or couldn't be bothered changing it.

    Cheers

    Tom
     
  5. Stuart Blyth

    Stuart Blyth Active Member

    Another point to consider?

    I don’t believe that referrals to AHP's has dropped at all, but I do agree that the number of VALID referrals has dropped. We receive between 15 and 20 care plans a week and about 15% of theses are invalid.

    These newspaper article figures are from the HIC quoting MBS item No's 721 (the doctor-only management plans) and 723 (care plans involving allied health practitioners), these are the 2 numbers that replace the old No 720. Both these numbers need to be claimed by the GP for the referral to be valid.

    I thank you will find ,as we have, that during the initial roll out of the new item No's GP's simply didn't know they had to use both No's to enable a valid referral, hence lots more 721's and not as many 723's !

    Any other clinic had a similar experience?

    Regards
    Stuart
     
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