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Timely News for Australian
 Medical Practice Managers

 
July 2015
LATEST NEWS!

After Hours Incentive Payments
From 1 July 2015, Medicare Locals will no longer administer the After Hours Incentive Payments. The payment will now be delivered to practices as a Medicare Practice Incentive Payment (PIP).
Read more on the Department of Human Services website.

Medicare Rebate Freeze
Following on from the freeze on patient rebates for GP consultations (in 2013), Medicare rebates were not indexed on 1 July 2015. 
Read more on the RACGP website.

Annual Wage Review
Fair Work has updated its website and the new minimum wages and allowances, effective from 1 July, are now available in the pay tools. 
Read more on the Fair Work website.

Changes to General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP)
As from 1 July, 2015 GPRIP is transitioning to the 'Modified Monash Model' (MMM) classification system (MMM 3-7) to determine eligible locations. The new system will categorise metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas according to both geographical remoteness and population size. Payments will be made once the required number of active quarters have been met. 
Read more on the Department of Health website.

$6.4million for Nurses to Deliver Health in Areas of Greatest Need
A three year funded Nursing in Primary Health Care Program was recently announced by the government. The program is aimed at improving access to health care for rural and remote communities, older Australians and chronic disease sufferers. 
Read more on the Department of Health website. 

Care for Kids' Ears Campaign
The Care for Kids' Ears Campaign has been designed by the government to increase awareness of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. A Talking Book which has been produced in English and one of 22 Indigenous languages provides an overview of the key ear messages. 
Read more on the Department of Health website.

United General Practice Australia (UGPA)
UGPA has given its support to employing non-dispensing pharmacists in general practices as part of a GP-led team to enhance the delivery of healthcare and improve patient outcomes. 
Read more on the RACGP website.

Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) Online
The 1 July 2015 MBS data files (XML, DOC, PDF and ZIP) can now be downloaded. 
Read more on the MBS Online website.

Did you know that ..... 
hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) which is a viral illness common in children has no connection with the foot and mouth disease that affects cattle.

Symptoms of HFMD are usually mild, but can include a high temperature and small blister-like lesions inside the mouth, on the palms of the hands, on the soles of the feet and in the nappy area for babies. 

The infection is spread by direct contact with fluid from the skin blisters, nose and throat discharges, droplets, and faeces. Less common in adults, HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 and symptoms generally last seven to ten days.
Read more about hand, foot and mouth disease.

TOP TIPS FOR ACCREDITATION

Our practice has a flexible system that enables us to accommodate patients' clinical needs

  • Practice staff need to be able to quickly and accurately identify patients' needs for urgent care as well as non urgent, complex, planned chronic care and preventive healthcare consultations 
  • Administration staff members of the practice team require appropriate 'triage' training
  • Practices need a responsive system for seeing patients
  • Practices need procedures for administrative and clinical staff outlining:
    • identifying patients with urgent medical matters
    • seeking urgent medical assistance when required
    • managing patients who have urgent medical needs when the practice is operating at full capacity
    • a system for documenting triage responses by administrative staff
Triage Training
From a risk management perspective, it is particularly important that the relevant non clinical staff receive triage training in order to recognise medical emergencies and prioritise appointments for patients with urgent clinical needs. Triage training may be delivered by clinical staff within the practice or by appropriate external providers. If in doubt as to the urgency of a patient's need, administrative staff should be trained to consult with the practice nurse or GP to assess the degree of clinical urgency.
 
ACCREDITATION - ARE YOU READY?

Is your practice's Accreditation coming up this year?
Medical Directions can help to identify areas of your practice that may need improving by guiding you through the Accreditation process and assisting in implementing any changes that may be necessary. 
We offer a full Accreditation Package which includes onsite visits and ongoing consultation via phone, Skype and email. 

Other ways we can help ...
  • Create a new Policy and Procedure Manual to comply with the 4th Standards
  • Set up your new practice and assist with purchasing equipment
  • Orientation of new GPs to your practice 
  • Staff training in Best Practice and Medical Director
  • Practice Manager mentoring
  • Treatment Room policies and procedures
Medical Directions can help in lots of ways! Let us customise a package to suit your practice. Click here to find out more about our Consulting Services or visit our website.


KNOWNOW! TIP

Practice Managers - did you know that there is a section on knowNOW! where you can upload confidential documentation and you can decide who has access to it? When you set-up a new staff member on knowNOW!, you can decide if you would like them to be a 'User' or an 'Administrator' and only 'Administrators' have access to the Practice Management area which is under the Non-Clinical tab.

Haven't seen how knowNOW! works yet? Then sign up today to receive one month's free trial of knowNOW! and once you realise how much it will help your practice it's just $38.95 per month which includes unlimited users! 

WHAT'S ON IN JULY?

RECIPE OF THE MONTH  
 
Deon's Flourless Chocolate Cake 
For those coeliac chocolate cake lovers!
 
Ingredients
  • 125g dark chocolate
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 1tbsp black coffee
  • 100g almond meal
  • 1tbsp brandy (optional)
  • 100g butter
  • 3 eggs
Method
  1. Melt chocolate with coffee and brandy in a bowl over a pot of boiling water
  2. Stir in chopped butter and sugar and mix well until butter is melted then remove from heat
  3. Add almond meal and stir well
  4. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture
  5. Spoon mixture into a greased and lined 18cm round cake tin
  6. Bake at 160ºC for 40-50 minutes
  7. When cooked the cake will have a crust on top and still be fudgy below the crust
  8. Cool in tin then carefully lift out onto plate - serve dusted with icing sugar and berries 
ENJOY! 
Thank you for sharing Deon! If you have a favourite recipe that you would like to share, please send it to chris@medicaldirections.com.au and we'll include it in our newsletter.
The Paleo Place
The Sunshine Coast's favourite Paleo Cafe - come and try us!

Wednesday is Senior's Day - come in and enjoy 10% off everything!

We are open for breakfast and lunch with a selection of delicious Paleo meals, snacks, desserts, juices, smoothies and coffee available. Coffee, fresh squeezed juices and smoothies are available daily from 7:00am and meals from 7:30am. 

Find out more ... www.thepaleoplace.com.au
Kathryn Davis
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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.
 
Until next time ... take care!
Kath Signature PNG  

P: 1300 978 897 | E: kathryn@medicaldirections.com.au | W: www.medicaldirections.com.au