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Melbourne General Practice Network

Aged Care

Background

SUMMARY AGED CARE ACCESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM GUIDELINES
Program Context
Residents of aged care facilities are amongst the frailest of Australians, often having complex care needs requiring multidisciplinary providers. Some residents of aged care facilities experience difficulties in accessing the services of GPs and allied health professionals.

Funding for the Aged Care GP Panels Initiative, which commenced in 2004, was redirected from July 2008 to support primary care service provision in residential aged care facilities through the Aged Care Access Initiative.

Aim
The aim of the Aged Care Access Initiative is to improve access to primary care (GP and allied health services) for residents of aged care facilities.

GP Aged Care Access Incentive
Eligible Providers and Key Points

  • All GPs in practices participating in the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) will be eligible for an incentive payment once they have provided a predetermined number of Medicare-claimable services;
  • Funding will be available on a two tiered model and payments will be made automatically by Medicare Australia once the predetermined Qualifying Service levels (QSLs) have been reached;
  • Payment will be made available to the GP who provided the service rather than to the practice; and the Program only applies to services provided to aged care residents in Commonwealth funded RACFs;
  • The incentive payment will be available to GPs in practices participating in the PIP. These practices are required to be accredited or registered for accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for General Practices.

Allied Health Services Component
Operation
This component of the Aged Care Access Initiative provides funding for services by allied health professionals in residential aged care facilities, where this is not funded by Medicare or other government funding sources. The Initiative applies to allied health services provided in Commonwealth-funded residential aged care facilities (RACFs) and Multipurpose Services (MPS). The allied health component of the program will be managed and delivered by State Based Organisations in conjunction with Divisions of General Practice.

Eligible services
Under the Initiative, allied health professionals may provide clinical services to residents of aged care facilities either on an individual or a group basis. Individual services may include one-on-one services such as podiatry or physiotherapy. Individual allied health services may also include participation in case conferencing and care planning. Group services might include, for example, group psychology sessions, group exercise and falls prevention programs provided these are conducted by qualified allied health professionals.

For further information please visit the link below –
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/aged_care_access  

See the MGPN Aged Care Report 2009 (2.94Mb) 

Topics below on this page:

Medical Care Of Older Persons In Residential Aged Care Facilities The RACGP 'Silver Book' 4th edition. Edited by Dr Denise Ruth.

For a copy of this book email margo.roest@mgpn.com.au or phone on (03) 9347 1188.

Melbourne General Practice Network Aged Care Program

MGPN Aged Care Program Structure and Summary 2009

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Aged Care GP interface resources and articles

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MBS Items available - Available for residents of Aged Care homes

Summary of MBS Items   

CMA (Comprehensive Medical Assessment Item 712)
Comprehensive Medical Assessment (CMA) for Age Care Residents - Fact sheet (Item 712)

CMA (Item 712)
Templates for CMA are available for Medical Director and Genie users, or in paper form.
CMA standard assessment form (ready to print) CMA Form

CMA for Medical Director
Available from North East Valley Division website: www.nevdgp.org.au (go to Division Resources, then to Aged Care)
CMA for Genie

RMMR - Residential Medication Management Review (Item 903)
• RMMR Information
• GP Invitation

Case Conferences at Aged Care Homes
• Case Conferences at Aged Care Homes

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Hospital transfer tools

Hospital transfer letter check.
Does your current documentation have all the recommended elements? Use the check list to audit.

Example of a hospital transfer letter
Developed by Aged Care Homes, Hospitals and Divisions of General Practice in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Recommendations for Hospital Transfer Process

Transfer letter envelope

  • This envelope has been designed to hold all the patients transfer information when going to hospital to help ensure
  • The information gets to the hospital
  • The patient is identified as a resident of an aged care home
  • Final check list that all required information has been sent.

Systems that Work well

The GP Panel project has completed a needs analysis of Aged Care Homes and GPs.
Many issues raised, such as medication management, were common problem areas to all groups.
Systems working well included:

  • A few core GPs caring for majority of residents, 4 to 8 residents per GP
  • GPs sharing care with others in their practice
  • GP Clinic within the Aged Care Home
  • Time and opportunity for GPs to develop long term relationship with Aged Care Home and staff
  • GP understanding of Aged Care Home processes and imperatives
  • Aged Care Home understanding of GP pressures
  • Planned GP visits to Aged Care Home
  • Aged Care Home support provided to GPs (preparation of paperwork, residents etc.) maximizing GP-resident contact time

Working Together Check Lists:
GP check lists
Aged Care Home check lists
GP & ACH Checklist Combined 

Presentation and Reports

GP Practice Models

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