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SEP 2024 – PATIENT SURVEY REPORT

SURVEY

We listened to you and we are improving patient care.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the recent patient survey to see how we are performing in areas of privacy, communication, continuity of care and access and availability.    

WE ARE PLEASED THAT 93% OF ALL OUR PATIENT RATINGS WERE GOOD, VERY GOOD OR EXCELLENT.

  At Pound Road Medical Centre we carried out a patient survey (the Practice Accreditation and Improvement Survey) and asked for your honest opinions on the services we provide. We listened to your concerns and have taken the following actions in order to make improvements to patient care where you feel it would be most useful:

WE HOPE TOGETHER WE WILL IMPROVE OUR SERVICES.

WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD US

1.WAIT TIMES                   

WHAT WE HAVE DONE             

    WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS AND WE HAVE REDUCED OUR WAIT TIMES IN THE PAST YEARS.

     DOCTORS RUN LATE WHEN THERE IS AN EMERGENCY OR WHEN PATIENT’S NEEDS ARE COMPLEX. WE WILL INFORM PATIENTS IF THE DOCTOR IS WITH AN EMERGENCY PATIENT.

   WE REQUEST YOU TO HELP US BY BOOKING THE CORRECT DURATION FOR YOUR CONSULT. BOOK A LONGER APPOINTMENT IF YOU NEED TO DISCUSS MORE THAN 1 ISSUE OR TO FILL IN FORMS, ETC.

   WE HAVE ADDED MORE BREAKS FOR DOCTORS TO CATCH UP.

   WE HAVE REQUESTED OUR DOCTORS TO EDUCATE PATIENTS ON BOOKING CORRECT APPOINTMENT LENGTHS FOR FUTURE BOOKINGS.

2. ASK 3 ID CHECKS AT ARRIVAL                          

WHAT WE HAVE DONE

   RACGP & MEDICARE REQUIRE US TO IDENTIFY EVERY PATIENT EVERYTIME WITH A 3 ID CHECK.

           “Verifying a patient’s identity helps to maintain patient safety and confidentiality.   Failure to correctly identify a patient can have   serious, potentially life-threatening consequences for the patient. We appreciate your co-operation and patience.”

  PATIENTS CAN CHOOSE TO WRITE THE INFO DOWN IF THEY DO NOT WISH TO SAY IT OUT TO THE RECEPTION STAFF.

3. WALK-INS, SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS AND AFTER HOURS CARE

WHAT WE HAVE DONE

 WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF PATIENTS CAN CANCEL THEIR APPOINTMENTS IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND. THIS WILL ENSURE SICK PATIENTS GET APPOINTMENTS. 

WE DO BLOCK APPOINTMENT SLOTS WITH ALL DOCTORS THRU THE DAY FOR THE DAY BOOKINGS.

WE ALSO ACCEPT PATIENTS WITH MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, TRIAGED BY STAFF/NURSE AS WALK-IN APPOINTMENTS. 

WE PROVIDE AFTER HOURS CARE AND THE NUMBER IS ON OUR WEBSITE & AFTER HOURS PHONE MESSAGE AND IN THE CLINIC.       

 

 CARE PLAN AND TEAM CARE ARRANGEMENTS ARE NOW CHANGING TO GPCCMP FROM 1ST OF JULY 2025.

 GPCCMPs are for patients with one or more chronic medical conditions who would benefit from a structured approach to their care.

 A chronic medical condition that has been (or is likely to be) present for at least 6 months or is terminal. 

There is no list of eligible conditions. It is up to the GP or PMP’s clinical judgment to determine whether an individual patient with a chronic condition would benefit from a GPCCMP.

Patients registered with MyMedicare must access GPCCMP items through the practice where they are enrolled. Patients who are not registered must access GPCCMP items through their usual GP. These requirements are the same for face to face and telehealth items.

GPCCMPs are not available to patients who are care recipients in a residential aged care facility. Allied health services are available to these patients through a multidisciplinary care plan.

 

• From 1 July 2025, new MBS health assessment items will be introduced to support patients experiencing menopause or perimenopause to receive appropriate care and symptom management.
• These changes are relevant for GPs and prescribed medical practitioners (PMPs) working in general practice.

What are the changes?

Effective 1 July 2025, there will be a revised structure for items for health assessment services. The new structure includes:

• 2 new items (695, 19000) for menopause and perimenopause health assessment services for patients experiencing premature ovarian insufficiency, early menopause, perimenopause and menopause.

Why are the changes being made?

These items respond to recommendations from the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee Report on Issues Related to Menopause and Perimenopause, released in September 2024. Information on the Committee and a copy of the full report can be found on the Parliament of Australia website.

Claim Medicare benefits online
 

If you can’t claim at the doctor’s office, you can submit a Medicare claim online using either:

• your Medicare online account through myGov
• the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.

We can't accept online claims for services over 2 years old.

Using the Medicare online account

If you don’t have a myGov account linked to a Medicare online account, you’ll need to set them up.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/how-claim-medicare-benefit/medicare-claims