Medicare eHealth Practice Incentive Payment
Overview
On Friday 13 March, 2009, DoHA sent a letter to all Australian general practices to announce the eHealth PIP (Practice Incentive Program).
The eHealth PIP replaces the current IM/IT PIP in August 2009. Medicare has commenced distributing PIP Guidelines and Application forms to all practices. Details of the program can be found on the DoHA website and the Medicare website.
Requirements
There are 3 criteria outlined in the eHealth PIP:
- Secure Messaging - Practice must comply by 31 July. This extension is due to the list of NeHTA compliant messaging providers not being available until 14 April 2009. Click here to view the Eligible Supplier list on the NEHTA website. To be on the list, suppliers' secure messaging products must currently comply or be actively working towards complying with the appropriate NeHTA secure messaging standards.
- PKI Certificates - A practice must have a location PKI certificate and each practitioner at the practice (locums are exempt) must have their own individual PKI certificate. Practice must compy or have submitted applications to Medicare by 30 April. PKI information can be obtained from the Medicare website or by phoning 1800 700 199.
- Clinical Resources - Practitioners must have access to key electronic clinical resources from their desktop. Practice must comply by 30 April.
Deadlines
The following table highlights key compliance dates for the August Quarter.
Requirement
Comply by
1. Secure Messaging
31 July 2009
2. Individual and Locational PKI
30 April 2009
3. Clinical Resources
30 April 2009
* *NOTE: As with all PIP payments, practices must be compliant for a full three month period before claiming; hence the 30 April deadline for an August Quarter PIP payment. This is an ongoing arrangement so to be eligible for the November payment, practices must comply by 31 July, and so forth. If a practice has complied once it is assumed that it is compliant from then on, unless they inform Medicare otherwise.
See the eHealth PIP Guidelines for more detail.
Resources
Guidelines & Application Form:
Download the:
Relevant websites:
Key resources:
- eTherapeutic Guidelines – cost $300 p.a. per GP ($150 renewal) http://www.tg.org.au/
- Australian Medicines Handbook - cost $155 http://www.amh.net.au/
- RACGP Red Book (also found in the Doctors Control Panel) - free http://www.racgp.org.au/guidelines/redbook
Other resources:
- Journal of Evidence-based clinical care, Bandolier - free; Clinical evidence - £142 for a 12 month subscription http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/index.html
- Immunisation: Myths and Realities – free http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/content/uci-myths-guideprov
- The Australian Immunisation Handbook – free http://www.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-home
- Assessing Fitness to Drive – free http://www.austroads.com.au/cms/AFTD%20web%20Aug%202006.pdf
- Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) - free http://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/search.cfm
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) - free http://www.pbs.gov.au/html/healthpro/home
Contact Officers
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Name:
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Richard Wylie
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Phil Evans |
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Position:
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Program Manager
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eHealth Program Officer |
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Email:
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Contact | |
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Phone:
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(03) 6220 6413
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(03) 6220 6406 |
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Mobile:
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0409 177 429
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Fax:
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(03) 6224 3384
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(03) 6224 3384
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Divisional eHealth Officers
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GP South
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GP North | GP North West |
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Position:
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Rob Farrell | Gary Walker | |
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Phone:
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(03) 6208 7300
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(03) 6331 9296 | (03) 6432 1440 |
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