Incentives needed to get more GPs working in residential aged care
Chair of the AMA Committee on Care of Older People, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said today that the Government must act to encourage more GPs to visit patients in residential aged care facilities.
Dr Haikerwal said in recent years there had been a significant drop in the number of GPs who look after patients in residential aged care, and that trend is accelerating.
"Despite the increase in the number of older Australians in care, and the increasing levels of dependence of those in residential care, the number of visits to residential facilities made by doctors between 1998 and 2000 declined by nearly 40,000," Dr Haikerwal said.
"There is widespread recognition that older Australians need and deserve high quality, comprehensive care from their committed and skilled - and familiar - family doctor, but this type of care is getting harder to find and is compromising the holistic care of older Australians.
"GPs must be encouraged to provide care to older Australians, but the costs and complexities associated with visits to aged care facilities are huge hurdles.
"The Government must urgently address the funding, staffing and visit facility issues surrounding the provision of high quality medical care in residential aged care facilities.
"A system that compensates GPs for visitation time, travel time, and time away from their practices and other patients must be considered," Dr Haikerwal said.
At its most recent meeting, the AMA Committee on Care of Older People also examined the absurd and potentially dangerous process that people suffering from dementia have to endure to receive medication under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Dr Haikerwal said too much bureaucratic red tape, including a written application for medication, is compromising care for thousands of Australians with Alzheimer's disease.
"It is taking the Health Insurance Commission (HIC) much longer than their Service Standard of a three working day turnaround from receipt of a written application from a doctor to return written approvals for medication," Dr Haikerwal said.
"The AMA has this week written to the HIC and the Department of Health and Ageing urging them to reinstate phone approvals to allow doctors to provide more appropriate and timely care for their Alzheimer's patients."
CONTACT: Sarah Crichton (02) 6270 5472 / (0419) 440 076