GP Resources

PRACTICE INCENTIVE PAYMENTS (PIP) INDIGENOUS HEALTH INITIATIVE

The Practice Incentives Program (PIP) aims to encourage continuing improvements in general practice through financial incentives to support quality care, and improve access and health outcomes for patients. Practices must be accredited or registered for accreditation to participate in the PIP.

The newest PIP initiative will be implemented from 1st May 2010 and is designed to support best practice management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with chronic disease.

Components of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PIP Incentive

There are three (3) components of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PIP Incentive summarised in the table below;

Practices participating in the PIP will be required to undertake the following;

• Identify and register Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
• Participate in cultural awareness training. Information regarding the requirements of this training are not yet available
• Registration of eligible patients to the PBS Co-payment Measure. This measure promotes greater access to PBS medicines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
• Conduct health checks (New MBS Item 715). Practices are encouraged to offer bulk billed services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients

Support available for GPs and practices

The Division is offering support to practices in the following ways;

1. Implementing strategies for identifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
2. Providing cultural awareness training for practices (once the standards have been released)
3. Developing a systematic approach to implementing the program(s)
4. Providing resources to assist with implementing the programs e.g. templates & directories
5. Promoting the initiative throughout the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

Please contact Shona Dutton, Program Officer at the Division on 9545 3533 or email at sdutton@shiregps.org.au

Guidelines and registration forms for downloads (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PIP Program)

Additional information regarding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PIP Program can be found at;
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/incentives/pip/forms-guides.jsp

Identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients

The following are resources designed to improve the identification and recording of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander patients in a primary care setting.

Pamphlet for general practitioners (PDF 928KB) 
This resource is focused on why general practitioners should identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
Pamphlet for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (PDF 917KB)
This resource is focused on why people are asked questions about their cultural identification. 
Poster for waiting rooms (PDF 3MB)
The target audience is Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and is focused on why cultural identification is asked within the practice. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Checks

These health checks are Medicare services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The aim of the health checks is to help ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive primary health care matched to their needs, by encouraging early detection, diagnosis and intervention for common and treatable conditions that cause considerable morbidity and early mortality.

• Child Health Check (0-14)
  The Child Health Check is an annual service for children 0 to 14 years (inclusive). The minimum time allowed between health checks is 9 months. This allows flexibility during important life stages for children (such as the first few years of life), when more frequent health assessment activities are clinically indicated.
• Adult Health Check (15-54)
  The Adult Health Check is a two-yearly service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged between 15 and 54 years (inclusive). The minimum time allowed between health checks is 18 months. This allows more flexibility for very remote communities, where GP visits may be less frequent and may make it difficult to follow a consistent schedule of health checks.
• Older Person’s Health Check (55+)
  An annual health check is also available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are at least 55 years of age.
• Frequency of health checks:
  • Child Health Check - Annual
  • Adult Health Check - Biennial
  • Older Person's Health Check - Annual   

MBS Follow-up Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients

There are several MBS allied health items available to people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent (81300 to 81360), on referral from their GP following a health assessment.

Allied health services

A maximum of five (5) allied health services are available per patient each calendar year. This is in addition to allied health services available to eligible patients with chronic disease under MBS items 10950-10970. The five services can be provided by one eligible allied health professional (e.g. five physiotherapy services) or a combination of allied health professionals (e.g. one dietetic, two podiatry and two physiotherapy services). Services must be of at least 20 minutes duration and must be provided individually to the patient, in person, by the eligible health professional. A written report must be provided to the referring GP after the first and last service, or more often if required.

Referral arrangements

To access follow-up allied health services, patients must be referred by their GP to the relevant eligible allied health professional(s) using a Referral form for follow-up allied health services under Medicare for people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. The GP is responsible for identifying which allied health services are appropriate for the patient. Eligible allied health professionals are those included under the EPC Team Care Arrangement

Resources for these initiatives are available from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing website;
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pacd-medicare-resource-kit

Practice Tips - Recording Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Status on Clinical Software Programs 

• Best Practice  (PDF 167KB)

• Medical Director (2/3) (PDF 86KB)

Changes to the Medicare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Checks – Effective 1st May 2010

Medicare Australia has released planned changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). As of 1st May 2010, there are numerous new measures designed to simplify the schedule. The number of item numbers will be reduced by merging similar items to simplify claiming. Changes relevant to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient population have been outlined below;

Health Assessments

Items for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island patients, affected by this change include;

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Assessments

• Child (Item 708)
• Adult (Item 710)
• Older Person (Items 704 & 706)

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