Collaborative Arrangements Will Provide Better Care For Patients, Autralia

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP;  Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 30 Jul 2010 - 0:00 PDT

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The AMA welcomes the Government's introduction of new regulations that require midwives and nurse practitioners to collaborate with medical practitioners in order to provide Medicare-funded services to patients or prescribe them medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the new arrangements would provide a safer higher standard of care for patients.

"These new arrangements are the result of a comprehensive consultation process between the Government, doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and midwives, throughout which the AMA played a constructive role," Dr Pesce said.

"There is now a requirement for midwives and nurse practitioners to establish collaborative arrangements with a medical practitioner in order for the service to attract a Medicare patient rebate or PBS benefit.

"The AMA will work cooperatively with other stakeholders to implement the Government's changes quickly and effectively to ensure that patient care is enhanced.

"It is important that doctors, nurse practitioners and midwives work constructively together for our patients to derive the benefits of these reforms.

"Evidence shows that patients enjoy better health outcomes when they receive coordinated, continuous, and comprehensive care that is delivered by appropriately trained health professionals," Dr Pesce said.

There have been two Parliamentary Inquiries into the Government's decision to open up Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) and PBS access for midwives and nurse practitioners.

In February this year, the Senate Community Affairs Committee endorsed provisions in the Government's overarching legislation that made collaborative arrangements a legal requirement to underpin the Government's decision to open up access to the MBS and PBS from 1 November this year.

Source:
Australian Medical Association

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