Older Australians will be able to enter an agreement with their GP to enable more personalised and coordinated care under a significant change announced in the Budget.
Under the new $448 million primary care scheme for patients over 70, general practices will receive additional payment for doctors and other clinicians to provide consultations, referrals, test results and scripts without having a face-to-face consultation with patients.
“This is a welcome development in bringing Medicare into the 21st Century by providing services and advice by doctors to patients without a face-to-face consultation as currently required under Medicare rules,” the CEO of the Consumers Health Forum, Leanne Wells, said.
“For many older people with chronic illness, getting to the doctor for routine checks and the like is a major challenge. More than half of Australians over 70 years have two or more chronic conditions.
“Older patients will also benefit from better follow-up and self-management support under these measures.
“These new arrangements will be voluntary for both patients and doctors and should encourage a more flexible and responsive approach to primary care, with the potential to reduce avoidable hospitalisation of patients. They will also help support older Australians to age in place.
“We would also liked to have seen the new scheme cover children five and under as part of this new approach to funding general practice care. Busy families also need access to flexible and affordable contemporary primary health care.
“We welcome the trial of a fresh approach to adult mental health with the development of eight walk-in centres to provide coordinated care and advice for people with concerns, to address what has been a gap in the health system.
