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In This Issue
Breaking News!
News from Medical Directions
Practice Top Tip for Accreditation
Accreditation News
What's On
Recipe of the Month
Quick Links
  
Practice News from Medical Directions
Timely News for Australian Medical Practice Managers
Merry Christmas!
We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday season.
Thank you to all our clients for their support this past year - we look forward to working with you all again in the future!
This will be our last newsletter for 2012 but watch out for our January 2013 issue!
BREAKING NEWS!


Practice Incentives Program (PIP) eHealth Incentive

Reminder - when practices have to meet the new requirements:

1 February 2013

1. Integrating healthcare identifiers into electronic practice records

2. Secure messaging capability

3. Data records and clinical coding

4. Electronic transfer of prescriptions

1 May 2013

5. Personally Controlled Electronic Health (eHealth) Record System

Click here for more information.

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Workers Compensation News 

Queensland  
Changes to the Q-Comp medical fees commenced on 1 December 2012 ... read more


New South Wales

In June 2012 the government introduced changes to the Workers Compensation Scheme in NSW. To assist medical practitioners there are a number of new publications, guidelines and forms ... read more 

   

ACT    

As the primary focus of the injury management process is the involvement of all three key parties (the employer, injured worker and the treating doctor), WorkSafe ACT has published a "Guidance Note" on Approved Workplace Rehabilitation Providers ... read more

 

Victoria

WorkSafe Victoria has developed a video to help facilitate return to work discussions between the GP and the patient. The purpose of the video is to highlight the Health Benefits of Work and clarify the GP's role in the return to work process ... read more

 

Tasmania

New information sheets for completing injury management and return to work plans are available on the WorkCover Tasmania website ... read more

  

South Australia     

WorkCover SA is introducing a new telephone and email support service to assist medical practitioners with inquiries about the Workers Compensation scheme ... read more

 

Northern Territory

NT WorkSafe has produced a presentation titled "NT WorkSafe and the Role of General Practitioners" which may be of some assistance to GPs ... read more 

 

Western Australia

From 1 January 2013 WorkCover WA will introduce a new Case Management System in Regulatory Services. The changes will mean simplified data reporting arrangements ... read more

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MBS Online

The 1 December MBS files are now available ... read more

 

The following change will take effect from 1 December 2012:

  • The Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme closed on 30 November 2012. No Medicare benefits will be payable for any dental services provided under Medicare dental items 85011-87777 provided after this date.

 

Child Dental Benefits Schedule

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) will commence from 1 January 2014. This $2.7 billion measure will provide a Commonwealth funded capped benefit entitlement for basic dental services for children ... read more

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Bulk Bill Claim Forms

As of 1 September 2012 the Department of Human Services ceased printing and distribution of carbon bulk bill forms and made all the forms available on the Department's website. As a result of consultation with peak bodies and feedback from providers the Department has made changes to assist providers transitioning to the new arrangements ... read more

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Medicines Reminder on NPS iPhone App  

Do your patients know that there is an 'app' to store their Medicines List and a schedule of when they need to take them. It will also remind them to take their medicine!

Medicines List Version 2 has been released ... read more

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Release of Human Health Promotions

The Department of Health and Ageing has announced new legislation to manage the risk of serious communicable diseases entering or spreading in Australia ... read more

NEWS FROM MEDICAL DIRECTIONS  

 

All Systems Go - Kath Gets Published! 
Watch out for Kath's article in the next issue of The Private Practice eZine which is due to be published online in early December.
 
Kath shares important tips on Accreditation and understanding the new standards. She suggests ways to get your practice on track with implementing procedures and systems. The final result - your practice working at an optimum level. 
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Forum 
Have you visited the Forum on Medical Directions' website yet? 
You can 'talk' with others about any issues regarding Accreditation or other practice issues you may have. 

 

It's a great way to bounce ideas around with each other and pick up some great tips. 

 

You just need to register for the Forum and start asking those questions!
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knowNOW!
knowNOW! logo
Have you searched for something recently and thought "this would be a handy link to share" - tell us about it and we may be able to add it to knowNOW!

There are already many resources and clinical guidelines on knowNOW! and we recently added a new link. You can now find a link to CTP Claim Forms (for each state/territory) under Doctors Resources that may assist your patients.

Remember to search for anything is as easy as typing one word in the Search Box!

So if you have any suggestions for links please email chris@knownow.com.au 

knowNOW! is the essential medical practice management program for collecting, protecting and accessing your practice operational files and information 24/7. 
 
Sign up today to receive a month's free trial of knowNOW! and once you realise how much it will help your practice it's just $30 per month which includes unlimited users! 
 
Click here to register for your FREE trial of knowNOW!
PRACTICE TOP TIP FOR ACCREDITATION
 
With all the public holidays coming up your practice must make arrangements for access to primary medical care services for your regular patients when you are closed.
 
Criterion 1.1.4 Care outside normal opening hourss

Our practice ensures safe and reasonable arrangements for medical care for patients outside our normal opening hours

  • practices need to document their normal opening hours
  • practices need to have a documented arrangement for the care of their patients outside normal opening hours
  • practices need a formal agreement with an alternative provider
  • alternative providers and pathology providers need a manner of contacting the practice for urgent matters when the practice is closed
  • practices need to inform patients about the arrangements for care outside normal opening hours

 

For more information refer to:   

 

ACCREDITATION NEWS

Accreditation Assistance Incentive Payment
  • Is your practice due for accreditation with either AGPAL or GPA?
  • Do you need to be updated with the current RACGP Standards? 
  • Are you and your staff stressed with the thought of accreditation?
  • Would you like to know how to have all your online resources, documents and practice information stored in one easily accessible secure location?
If you answered YES to all or some of the questions above then why not take advantage of the Accreditation Assistance Incentive Payment and have Medical Directions help your practice get accredited? 

 

Practices who are not yet accredited can take up the Accreditation Assistance Incentive Payment offered by the Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP). 

 

To be eligible for the one-off $5,000 Accreditation Assistance Incentive Payment a practice must be registered for accreditation against the RACGP Standards for general practice 4th edition. Practice branches are not eligible for the $5,000 payment.

 

The practice must:

  • Join the PNIP
  • Provide Medicare Australia with proof of registration for accreditation on application; and
  • Become accredited within 12 months of joining the PNIP

 

If a practice withdraws or payments cease from the PNIP and the practice subsequently reapplies for payment under the PNIP, the practice will not be entitled to another accreditation assistance payment.

WHAT'S ON ...   

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

 

Sweet Potato and Leek Roulade With Christmas Stuffing

Go vegetarian this Christmas!

 

Ingredients
Roulade
1 leek - finely chopped
60 grams butter
¼ cup plain flour
300 mls milk
4 eggs - separated
½ cup grated cheddar cheese 
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese 
Filling
500 grams sweet potato - peeled an chopped
15 grams butter
100 mls cream
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Stuffing
30 grams 
1 onion - chopped finely
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1½ cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tbsp fresh sage - chopped
1 tbsp flat-leaf parley - chopped
  

Method  

Roulade
Preheat oven to 180° C and grease and line a swiss roll pan. Saute leek gently until soft and remove from pan. Add butter to hot pan and then add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly. Add milk a little at a time whisking until all the milk is combined and the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and beat in egg yolks one at a time. Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the roux. Fold in the leeks and cheddar cheese until just combined then pour into the swiss roll tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and puffed.
Filling
Boil the sweet potato until tender, drain and mash with the butter, cream and nutmeg. Season well and set aside.
Stuffing
Melt butter in a fry pan over medium heat, add onion and cook for five minutes until soft, add garlic and breadcrumbs and cook for further 3-4 minutes, stir in herbs and season with salt and pepper.

When the roulade is cooked place a tea towel on the bench and sprinkle with parmesan, turn the roulade out onto the tea towel. Spread the sweet potato over the roulade and sprinkle the stuffing over the potato. Roll up, slice and serve warm.

ENJOY!
I would love to hear your feedback on my newsletters or if you have a story to share or a question to ask please email me kathryn@medicaldirections.com.au

 

Until next time.....take care!

 

 Kath's signature


Kathryn Davis
Medical Directions

1300 978 897

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