'Please make sure EPC items
are not simply a waste of precious GP time and Medicare budget'.
This is the message to
federal health minister Nicola Roxon from Queensland GP, Dr Peter Stephenson.
Disputing the cost-effectiveness
of the EPC items, the Narangba, Queensland-
based doctor tells Ms Roxon he does not want to be paid for unnecessary
paperwork. “I want to be paid for getting people better and preventing them
getting sick. Paperwork prevents the already over-stretched workforce of GPs
from seeing patients.”
Questioning the need for
mental health plans, Dr Stephenson says: “If the patient needs to see a
specialist, I can simply refer them with a referral letter. I will refer
patients to services that I believe will benefit them but filling in new mental
health plans are deleterious to my own mental health.”
He says that the few plans he
has competed have caused him feelings of anxiety due to the fear of charging an
item number that may inadvertently have the potential to be found fraudulent.
“If we need mental health
plans to send a patient to a psychologist, why are we not having specialist
referral plans for specialists?” asks Dr Stephenson.
too right, but dont expect the hollow men in the DHAC to see it your way. To them, complexity is good, process is always more important than outcome, documentation more important than doing. The RACGP was a willing accomplice here, did GPs a great disservice.
Posted by andy 14/11/2008 1:44:05 PM
State labour is in trouble and federal labour is looking to follow. Rudd/Roxon/Swan are slowing showing that they can talk well but they have very little substance.
Posted by John Hill 14/11/2008 2:42:28 PM
I'm looking for an anti Labor slogan in preparation for the trench warfare just around the corner. Maybe "BOXON ROXON is pure evil TOXON". Any other suggestions?
Posted by brad 14/11/2008 8:26:07 PM
Not sure why Dr Stepehenson is so worried about claiming a mental health item, if the patient has a mental health problems that needs psychologist treatment, they qualify for a Mental Health Care Plan. A lot of my patients have benefited from the service. My problem is that patients may not always be able to afford the gap fee. Also MHC Plans can't be used for psychiatrist visits, and I often need to refer to a psychiatrist to get the correct diagnosis eg if I suspect Bipolar disease.
Posted by Mimika 15/11/2008 3:14:43 PM
About time somebody pointed this out. ¾ of all the paper work done by nursing home sisters writing in columns the blooming obvious e.g what is the aim of the treatment !!! The only “plan” of any real use is the CMA on admission to a nursing home. . If all the unnecessary paperwork done by nurse would be scrapped, they would have time better spent with the patients. And all the silly payments for silly paper work needing to be done by G.Ps were done away with, we would all be happier, and our fees could rather be increased for treating patients , not for filling forms
Latest Comments
Posted by andy 14/11/2008 1:44:05 PM
Posted by John Hill 14/11/2008 2:42:28 PM
Posted by brad 14/11/2008 8:26:07 PM
Posted by Mimika 15/11/2008 3:14:43 PM
Posted by Isaac Brajtman 17/11/2008 2:42:11 PM
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