title: General practitioner service provision in residential aged care facilities: 1998-2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the general practitioner (GP) consultation patterns for primary health-care services provided in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) by consultation type.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses of service provision and RACF population data for the period 1998-2011. All Medicare-subsidised services provided by GPs across Australia in RACFs were included and categorised by consultation type and by time of service delivery (business or after-hours).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall service delivery increased from 12 118 per 1000 residents in financial year (FY) 1998-99 to 17 079 per 1000 residents in FY2010-11, a 41% increase. Since FY2007-08, the rate of brief consultations has grown by an average of 20% each year. Delivery of after-hours consultations also increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pattern of GP services provided in RACFs has changed substantially over time. To some extent these changes reflect regulatory adjustments; however, the pattern is at odds with the ever-increasing dependence levels of residents.
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, Australian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia. michael.taylor@latrobe.edu.au
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Edvardsson
authors.forename: Dell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horey
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fetherstonhaugh
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nay
authors.forename: Hal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Swerissen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058005:General Practitioners; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D006278:Medicare; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States