Who is Your Doctor in Aged Care?

Your Doctor in Aged Care is an initiative of Better Medical. Our mission is to support GPs in the delivery of
high-quality healthcare to patients, which extends beyond the general practice. Better Medical believes in providing personal, and accessible services that are consistent and reliable.

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Your Doctor in Aged Care is designed to alleviate stresses and common issues faced in care facilities when it comes to providing healthcare in residential aged-care and care facilities. Our team of experienced GPs and administration support are here to ensure that care facilities can provide the quality primary health care and support to patients that they need.

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We want patients, and their families, to feel that Your Doctors in Aged Care are the ones to trust when it comes to having the level of care and quality relationships they look for when making the decision to receive support from a registered care or aged care facility.  Your Doctor in Aged Care ensures that the needs of the patient are met in the most comforting and professional way, and eases the burden for families at what can be an emotional time.

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The benefits of our structured model extend to residential aged care and residential care facilities, including:

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• Consistent clinical care
  Having scheduled attendance of a GP at a facility and allowing nursing staff continued contact via the clinic reception during business hours provides residents exceptional and consistent medical care. Having a GP regularly attend a facility reduces hospital admissions for the residents and can help to prevent exacerbation of ongoing medical conditions. Consistency of care cannot be found with the regular use of after hours GP services due to these services having a high level of GP rotation.
   

• Resident’s confidence
  A regular GP will develop a professional and caring rapport that instils confidence in both the resident and their family. Understanding they are receiving the best possible care available in their end of life journey brings everyone involved peace and assurance. This instils confidence in the RACF/RCF’s services and reputation in the community.
   

• Management-to-management communication
  Our model of care provides the RACF/RCF access to communicate directly with Your Doctor in Aged Care's Aged Care Manager to address and rectify any issues or concerns. This level of communication helps to mitigate any risk to the residents, RACF/RCF or our GPs.
   

• Remote access
  Allowing our team remote access saves RACF/RCF staff time and effort by not having to print, scan or email doctor’s notes, medication charts, care plans and patient demographics. Our team gather the required information for the GP and complete the CMA within the recommended six weeks to support the RACF/RCF AFCI funding. Having remote access, the RACF/RCF can retrieve information in the GP’s notes in real-time.
   

• RACF funding
  Up-to-date and extensive CMA’s provide medically diagnosed and reliable evidence for a RACF to submit ACFI packs to optimise resident funding to meet their care needs. Additionally, the increase of resident numbers and the appeal of the facility can be due to consistent and structured GP access and stability.

 

 

 

 

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A structured model of GP support provides care and comfort to patients and their families through:

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• Continuity of care
  Our model of GP support allows the same GP to attend to patients and continue to monitor and adjust their care needs with regular weekly visits; also providing the GP with time to focus on the patient by eliminating the bulk of administration that is required in RACF settings.
   

• Bulk-billed health care
  Our GP services are bulk-billed to those who hold a current Medicare or DVA card. This alleviates some of the financial stress for patients and their families, allowing patients optimal health care with no out of pocket cost.
   

• Convenience of scheduled visits
  When GPs have a structure behind them and the ability to schedule standard weekly visits to RACFs, it gives patients and their families emotional security around their health care needs. It also allows patients’ families to schedule their day around the GP visit if the family wish to discuss any matters with the GP.
   

• Relationships
  Knowing their GP brings comfort, compassion and emotional support to a patient and their family during the end of life pathway. Building a strong relationship with the GP at this time in the patient’s life will ease the patient in their journey. 
   

• Planning and support during end of life pathway
  With our model of support to the GP, it gives the GP time to spend with the patient and their family to plan and execute an end of life plan when the time comes. This ensures the patients’ needs are met in the most comforting and professional way and eases the burden for the families at this emotional time.

Our proven model provides numerous benefits for participating GPs, including:

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• Stable income base
  By implementing a structured process for recalls, reminders, CMA’s, referrals, and coupled with the ability to consult patients via telehealth, you can maintain a stable income source.
   

• Medicare billing incentives
  Medicare offers additional tiered payments of up to $10,000 per annum based on the number of eligible RACF billings submitted.
   

• Structured schedule
  Management will arrange a set time and day suitable for you in the RACF/RCF (exclusive of after hours/weekends) to bring stability to your week and income.
   

• Variety in your day
  By allowing you to get out of the clinic and enjoy the variety in caring for RACF/RCF patients.
   

• Reduced travel
  We aim to source a RACF/RCF in reasonably close proximity to your home, allowing you a reduction of time on the road and in the clinic. By having remote access, you can finish your rounds and complete the consultation notes in the comfort of your own home.
   

• Special interests
  Most GPs have a special interest, and some see Palliative Care and end of life pathway as a rewarding part of caring for their patients. This program allows you to reap the benefits of both worlds with minimal added administration.
   

• Opportunity for growth
  This can be a great opportunity for you to grow RACF/RCF patient numbers and an “in clinic” patient base. We’ve seen attendance in the clinic grow with family and friends of the residents.
   

• Supported
  GPs are supported in all aspects of RACF/RCF; billing, administration and scheduling, allowing you time to concentrate on the importance of patient care.

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Aged Care Team Support to GPs

 

Administration team

• Patient file setup in daily medical software;

• Transfer of notes to daily/billing medical software;

• Complete billings as instructed by the GP and monitoring of billings to reduce risks of over-servicing with Medicare;

• Checking resident eligibility with Medicare for services (731/903/CMA);

• Adding, maintaining and monitoring recalls and reminders to increase billing revenue (731/903/CMA);

• Booking of 731s in rounds list when due, billing on completion by GP and adjusting reminders as required; and

• HPOS checking and booking RMMR appointments when RMMR reports are received and adjusting reminders as required.

 

Nursing team

• Accurate collation of medical information to daily medical software to develop CMA and for accurate referrals, as required;

• Reduction of clinical data entry for the GP;

• Monitoring and management of recall and reminder system at a clinical level; and

• Clinical support to the GP as required.

 

Management

• Structured and documented processes and policies for Aged Care Team to mitigate medico-legal risk to the GP;

• Management of all issues and concerns with the RACF/RCF for the GP;

• Coordinate GP leave and arrange cover with group GPs;

• Maintain and monitor strict protocols of communication to the GP from the facility and ensure issues are addressed promptly;

• Management of rounds lists to be sent to GPs in their clinic the day prior to rounds for doctor preparation of care needs (exception to urgent matters); and

• Monitor resident numbers allocated to a GP and cap as needed or requested by the GP.