New Report: Thousands of people could be at risk for cancer and other serious illnesses due to new specialist tasks

We all know how important it is to seek out medical advice and consultations from reliable, knowledgeable professionals for any health concerns.

It takes thorough knowledge, experience and an understanding of a patient’s entire medical history for an accurate diagnosis to be made. This is especially true for serious illnesses such as cancer, which are often found through preventative care and vigilant monitoring.



However, with the Australian Government's recent news of potential changes to Medicare that could split health care amongst different professionals, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has stepped forward to voice their concerns.

The RACGP said they were 'nervous' about the idea of patients visiting multiple specialists (e.g. nurses, physiotherapists or pharmacists) without being monitored by a coordinating doctor, adding that 'no other professional' had a complete overview of the patient’s overall health.

RACGP’s Rural Chairperson Associate Professor Michael Clements said that the group is not supportive of the 'deprioritising' of GPs under the proposed Medicare funding changes.


pexels-photo-5215006.jpeg

RACGP criticised the proposed reform to Medicare funding which could lead to the 'deprioritising' of GPs. Credit: Pexels/Antoni Shkraba.



'We absolutely don’t support the idea people could go off to see a pharmacist for managing blood pressure but then back to us for managing mental health', he remarked.

It should be noted that under the proposed reform, the government has suggested ‘task substitution’ for healthcare workers, allowing specialists to perform other tasks that are outside of their expertise. The RACGP believes this could lead to serious illnesses such as cancer being missed.

Clements continued: 'These professionals only know what they know. You need a steward, a leader. It works, but as long as there’s one person making sure it’s all working.'



Clements, who runs practices in Townsville and rural Queensland, raised a very recent example from his clinic work, where a longtime patient, who reported seemingly unrelated symptoms, was diagnosed with lymphoma, a serious form of cancer.

He believes that if there was no doctor to oversee and coordinate that patient’s combined visiting specialists, the cancer would have gone undiagnosed.

'The more you break up the relationship with a patient from the GP clinic that knows them, [the more] it hurts,' he said.

'There needs to be somebody accountable, taking an overall picture. There’s nobody other than GPs doing that.'


pexels-photo-6011602.jpeg

The RACGP claims that if the reforms were to be imposed, underlying life-threatening conditions, such as cancer, might get missed or misdiagnosed. Credit: Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko.



Clements and the RACGP back the concept of multidisciplinary care, but are worried that any changes to the current system could erode funding for GPs, leading to cheaper but less reliable healthcare service.

He added: 'We’re fully supportive of multidisciplinary care, and as a college, we support any movement in Medicare to allow us to work closely with allied health colleagues.'

'We’re happy to work with nurse practitioners in their existing roles because when we work together we can do good things.'



The RACGP are therefore calling for further funding to increase Medicare rebates for GP visits and to reduce or eliminate gap fees, in order to encourage patients to keep a regular GP.

They claim that GPs are not trying to be 'gatekeepers' of healthcare, but rather emphasise the importance of them being responsible for coordinating patient care and making sure that everyone in the healthcare team is communicating effectively.

These criticisms, according to Clements, were 'overplayed' and patients may seek medical attention from other specialists as needed.



The Federal government has pledged $750 million to improve the existing available funds, and the Health Minister, Mark Butler has made it known that the changes will focus on the way medical personnel are paid.

More information about the reform and the funding model for medical rebates can be read in this article.



Key Takeaways

  • The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is concerned serious conditions such as cancer could be missed if general practice is deprioritised under looming changes to Medicare funding.
  • GP groups have called for higher Medicare rebates to boost bulk-billing rates and encourage more doctors to enter general practice.
  • The RACGP supports working collaboratively with allied health services, but it wants to ensure GPs remain at the centre of the discussion.
  • The RACGP calls for the federal government to pledge further funding to increase Medicare rebates for GP visits in order to reduce costs for patients.



Members, this is a real cause for concern. We all know that early detection saves lives and sticking to one doctor helps them to get a better understanding of your medical history.

So, what do you think about this? Do you think this position from the RACGP is reasonable? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
 
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I believe the existing system needs to remain as it is still better than private insurance that does not cover Drs cost except in hospital both systems need to be improved and those that are over a certain income should be required to have private insurance. I believe all benefit recipients can afford a mandatory deduction of $2 per fortnight by centrelink towards Medicare there has to be a better solution perhaps nurse practitioners can take over dressings and flue shots and the like but primary care needs to remain with a Dr. How do others feel about this just don’t destroy our health system to one where only the wealthy can afford care !
 
It is a concern that people will go undiagnosed.

What I don't get is doctors saying they are over worked and under payed but watch when patients start going to other areas of health rather than the GP .

I went to my medical centre yesterday for blood test and had to wait for my DR to reprint my referral as the receptionist somehow misplaced it and I was surprised how many people were being charged for their visit to see their gp some were charged $98 while others $53 and all those people were shocked , each asked how long has it been that you are now charging ?
Maybe they needed to send an email to everyone or at least let them know at time of booking.
People with healthcare cards are still bulked bill but let's see how much longer that is for
 
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It is a concern that people will go undiagnosed.

What I don't get is doctors saying they are over worked and under played but watch when patients start going to other areas of health rather than the GP .

I went to my medical centre yesterday for blood test and had to wait for my DR to reprint my referral as the receptionist somehow misplaced it and was surprised how many people were being charged for their visit to see their gp some were charged $98 while others $53 and all those people were shocked , each asked how long has it been that you are now charging ?
Maybe they needed to send an email to everyone or at least let them know at time of booking.
People with healthcare cards are still bulked bill but let's see how much longer that is for
The Drs at our clinic are run off their feet we need more Drs training
 
The Drs at our clinic are run off their feet we need more Drs training
At mine if you want to see your doctor it is normally around 10 day wait. They won't add extra patients, if you are really sick you are put on a cancellation list.
The appointments are every 15 minutes and can be rushed , they close between 12 and 1pm for lunch
 
We all know how important it is to seek out medical advice and consultations from reliable, knowledgeable professionals for any health concerns.

It takes thorough knowledge, experience and an understanding of a patient’s entire medical history for an accurate diagnosis to be made. This is especially true for serious illnesses such as cancer, which are often found through preventative care and vigilant monitoring.



However, with the Australian Government's recent news of potential changes to Medicare that could split health care amongst different professionals, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has stepped forward to voice their concerns.

The RACGP said they were 'nervous' about the idea of patients visiting multiple specialists (e.g. nurses, physiotherapists or pharmacists) without being monitored by a coordinating doctor, adding that 'no other professional' had a complete overview of the patient’s overall health.

RACGP’s Rural Chairperson Associate Professor Michael Clements said that the group is not supportive of the 'deprioritising' of GPs under the proposed Medicare funding changes.


pexels-photo-5215006.jpeg

RACGP criticised the proposed reform to Medicare funding which could lead to the 'deprioritising' of GPs. Credit: Pexels/Antoni Shkraba.



'We absolutely don’t support the idea people could go off to see a pharmacist for managing blood pressure but then back to us for managing mental health', he remarked.

It should be noted that under the proposed reform, the government has suggested ‘task substitution’ for healthcare workers, allowing specialists to perform other tasks that are outside of their expertise. The RACGP believes this could lead to serious illnesses such as cancer being missed.

Clements continued: 'These professionals only know what they know. You need a steward, a leader. It works, but as long as there’s one person making sure it’s all working.'



Clements, who runs practices in Townsville and rural Queensland, raised a very recent example from his clinic work, where a longtime patient, who reported seemingly unrelated symptoms, was diagnosed with lymphoma, a serious form of cancer.

He believes that if there was no doctor to oversee and coordinate that patient’s combined visiting specialists, the cancer would have gone undiagnosed.

'The more you break up the relationship with a patient from the GP clinic that knows them, [the more] it hurts,' he said.

'There needs to be somebody accountable, taking an overall picture. There’s nobody other than GPs doing that.'


pexels-photo-6011602.jpeg

The RACGP claims that if the reforms were to be imposed, underlying life-threatening conditions, such as cancer, might get missed or misdiagnosed. Credit: Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko.



Clements and the RACGP back the concept of multidisciplinary care, but are worried that any changes to the current system could erode funding for GPs, leading to cheaper but less reliable healthcare service.

He added: 'We’re fully supportive of multidisciplinary care, and as a college, we support any movement in Medicare to allow us to work closely with allied health colleagues.'

'We’re happy to work with nurse practitioners in their existing roles because when we work together we can do good things.'



The RACGP are therefore calling for further funding to increase Medicare rebates for GP visits and to reduce or eliminate gap fees, in order to encourage patients to keep a regular GP.

They claim that GPs are not trying to be 'gatekeepers' of healthcare, but rather emphasise the importance of them being responsible for coordinating patient care and making sure that everyone in the healthcare team is communicating effectively.

These criticisms, according to Clements, were 'overplayed' and patients may seek medical attention from other specialists as needed.



The Federal government has pledged $750 million to improve the existing available funds, and the Health Minister, Mark Butler has made it known that the changes will focus on the way medical personnel are paid.

More information about the reform and the funding model for medical rebates can be read in this article.



Key Takeaways

  • The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is concerned serious conditions such as cancer could be missed if general practice is deprioritised under looming changes to Medicare funding.
  • GP groups have called for higher Medicare rebates to boost bulk-billing rates and encourage more doctors to enter general practice.
  • The RACGP supports working collaboratively with allied health services, but it wants to ensure GPs remain at the centre of the discussion.
  • The RACGP calls for the federal government to pledge further funding to increase Medicare rebates for GP visits in order to reduce costs for patients.



Members, this is a real cause for concern. We all know that early detection saves lives and sticking to one doctor helps them to get a better understanding of your medical history.

So, what do you think about this? Do you think this position from the RACGP is reasonable? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
 
The issue of not enough GPS isn’t so much about more being trained it’s about them having remuneration in-line with what they do and also a living wage.

The idea of multi professionals is not a bad one. And the quote “ they only know what they know “ also applies to GPS.
There should be non referral access the those professionals without having to do having at least two GP visits.
 
Most of the drs, specialists I know have big posh houses, drive around in latest model expensive cars, so I don’t think they are living the average lifestyle that the majority of their patients are. Maybe they are having to tighten their belts and rein in their expensive lifestyle, but so are most other people so what is different for them. Some of the fees specialists charge are over the top, several hundred dollars for a ten/fifteen minute visit is ridiculous. I do think Medicare needs an overhaul and there needs to be legislation to stop high income earners, like politicians, using the public hospital system when they could afford and should have and use private health insurance and private hospitals. This would free up so many beds in the public hospitals for people who really need to use them, and this would shorten the waiting lists for surgery in public hospitals. We are pensioners and struggle to pay for private health insurance but keep it so if we need surgery we can access it quickly. Yes we will have to find money for the out of pocket expenses if we use private hospitals but we could die waiting for surgery in a public hospital. We are lucky that we have found a cardiac and orthopaedic specialist who don’t charge above the Medicare rebate for their services in or out of hospital, and bulk bill surgery visits. Hopefully they don’t retire anytime soon.
 
It’s very sad that my BIL’s doctor said he had high blood pressure and cholesterol and treated him without sending him for bloodwork etc and later , he was diagnosed with liver cancer, which was in his late stage and passed away in 3 month.
It’s a very sad story- doctors should update their training and look after their patients properly.
 
I'm fortunate to attend a medical practice which bulk bills pensioners,and have always been able to access an appointment when needed.
I think it is madness to split patient care in this way which, in effect, keeps GPs out of the loop.
The GP should be the gatekeeper of your overall care and it is foolish to propose otherwise.
 
I would like to know how much a GP makes in an hour !
I arrived early for my specialist appointment abd I waited about 1 hour due to him also running late. During that time he saw 6 patients 3 at $110 and 3 new ones at $240 ...all of them made return appointments.

The surgeon before this one removed an umbilical hernia the same time as my gallbladder
He used mesh wich was recalled 3 years before .
He also stitched and stappled the mesh to my bowl loops.
I needed 2 more surgeries to fix his mistakes the 2nd one requiring the mesh to be removed along with my whole umbilicus and alot of my abdominal wall resulting in nerve damage .
After many thousands of dollars I have been told there is nothing more they can do to fix this problem I need to put up with the pain and take strong pain relief and deal with my anxiety and depression.

I have lost alot of trust and respect for doctors. This surgeon totally ruined my life, I would still be working in a job that I loved.
I can't even lift my grandchildren
 
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I would like to know how much a GP makes in an hour !
I arrived early for my specialist appointment abd I waited about 1 hour due to him also running late. During that time he saw 6 patients 3 at $110 and 3 new ones at $240 ...all of them made return appointments.

The surgeon before this one removed an umbilical hernia the same time as my gallbladder
He used mesh wich was recalled 3 years before .
He also stitched and stappled the mesh to my bowl loops.
I needed 2 more surgeries to fix his mistakes the 2nd one requiring the mesh to be removed along with my whole umbilicus and alot of my abdominal wall resulting in nerve damage .
After many thousands of dollars I have been told there is nothing more they can do to fix this problem I need to put up with the pain and take strong pain relief and deal with my anxiety and depression.

I have lost alot of trust and respect for doctors. This surgeon totally ruined my life, I would still be working in a job that I loved.
I can't even lift my grandchildren
So, very sorry to hear about this. Nerve damage is dreadful to put up with. 😟
Amazing isn't it! Two days ago, a friend told me she needs another operation to fix an issue with her double knee replacements she had 8 weeks ago. Obviously, something was wrong from the outset.
 
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So, very sorry to hear about this. Nerve damage is dreadful to put up with. 😟
Amazing isn't it! Two days ago, a friend told me she needs another operation to fix an issue with her double knee replacements she had 8 weeks ago. Obviously, something was wrong from the outset.
Tell her to see another surgeon. Maybe the first one made a mistake and will try to fix it
 
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Yes, the surgeon who did the replacements, said to come back for the operation to fix it.
I will pass on your message to her.
I just don't trust them. After 7 months of infection and pain the original Surgeon wanted to open ne up to see what was happening, Im so glad I went for another opion I actually went for 2 opions
 
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A couple of years ago I gave up seeing my normal G.P. ( had been seeing him for about 28 years ) who owns the practice when he cut his working hours. His wait time has now gone out to 6 weeks. I changed G.P @ the practice & have been making appts on HOTDOCS for a while now & can find an appt @ a day's notice. If l need to see him for more than one item l make a double appt by phoning reception. He once told me this wasn't necessary but then thanked me after being given my reason for doing so. Usually l have 3 items. Appts here are only 10 minutes long which isn't always long enough & if every patient takes longer, after 3 hours one could be sitting for 45 minutes past their appt time to see their G.P.
 
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