Does Enhanced Primary Care enhance primary care? Policy-induced dilemmas for allied health professionals.
One aim of Medicare's Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) initiative is to encourage multidisciplinary care of patients with chronic disease by funding five allied health treatment sessions per patient per year. In many cases, the number of funded treatments is far less than standard clinical practice indicates, particularly when the five visits are shared between service providers. We believe clinical outcomes may be compromised by adhering to the funded hours, and inequity of outcome may arise based on socioeconomic status and the ability of patients to pay. Research that determines how patients and allied health practitioners are responding to this initiative is required. Research is also required to evaluate whether EPC enhances clinical outcomes compared with no allied health intervention and standard allied health practice.
Foster
Michele M
MM
University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. m.foster@social.uq.edu.au
Mitchell
Geoffrey
G
Haines
Terry
T
Tweedy
Sean
S
Cornwell
Petrea
P
Fleming
Jennifer
J
D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019468:Disease Management; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012380:Role