Coalition's Family Emergency Medical Centres, Australia

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 01 Nov 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said that the Coalition's Family Emergency Medical Centres policy is a sound response to community need for better access to GP services, especially after hours.

The Government is promising $433 million over five years to fund Family Emergency Medical Centres and expanded after hours services by all GPs.

The doctors will provide usual GP services after hours and patients will receive increased rebates for these services through a doubling of the after hours loading between 11.00pm and 7.00am, and a significant increase in the rebates for emergency GP procedural work in normal hours and after hours. These increased rebates for patients are across all GPs.

In addition to rebate increases, the Coalition has promised up front capital grants and ongoing yearly support for Family Emergency Medical Centres. There would be 50 centres overall - 25 round the clock and 25 open till 11.00pm.

"Local doctors would have to agree to the location of the Centres, and the incentives would assist in their establishment," Dr Capolingua said. "The feasibility and sustainability of the proposal is supported by no compulsion for doctors to bulk bill and the improved loadings for after hours services, which minimise the potential for out of pocket costs for patients

"The policy contains the right mix of incentives to make after hours services more viable through the implementation of higher loadings for emergency procedures and changes to the standard after hours loading.

"It will be of great assistance to rural areas because it rewards procedural medicine.

"The Coalition is offering better GP after hours rebates for all patients, whether or not the service is an Emergency Medical Centre.

"This will be good for patients and families,' Dr Capolingua said.

http://www.ama.com.au