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Important Update: Changes are coming to Medicare

Dear Patients,

We hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits. As the owners of Edmonton Family Medical Centre, we wanted to personally reach out to you today to address some recent developments regarding Medicare changes that may impact your access to quality General Practice care. It is crucial to us that you receive accurate information from a trusted source and we want to ensure that your medical care is not adversely affected.

There have been reports circulating that the Government has tripled payments for General Practitioners. We want to clarify that this information is not entirely accurate.

Whilst some modest increases in certain bulk billing incentives have been announced (limited to very specific groups of the population), there is still a lack of detail on how this will work and who will benefit directly. It is essential to be aware of misinformation and stay updated on the facts. The proposals are not due to come into effect until November at the earliest.

At Edmonton Family Medical Centre, our commitment to providing you with the highest quality care remains unwavering. We want to assure you that we are closely monitoring the Medicare changes announced in the May 2023 Federal Budget. Our goal is to keep you well-informed about any updates and ensure that you can continue to access exceptional General Practice services when you need them.

To stay connected and receive the latest information, we encourage you to remain engaged with our communication channels. This includes following our social media accounts, and regularly visiting our Practice website. By doing so, you will be at the forefront of any developments, ensuring that you receive timely updates straight from the source.

Our primary objective is to ensure that you and your loved ones can continue to receive the high-quality General Practice care you deserve. We will endeavour to serve as a source of trusted information, providing you with clarity amidst the confusion surrounding these Medicare changes. We will keep you informed every step of the way.

In the coming weeks and months, we anticipate further details on how the changes will be implemented and how they will affect patients like yourself. Our team will translate this information into clear and concise updates, specifically tailored to your needs. We understand the importance of transparency and will ensure that you have a complete understanding of how these changes may impact your medical care.

To summarise, your continued engagement with our communication channels is vital. By staying connected, you will receive accurate and timely information that will enable you to make informed decisions about your healthcare. Together, we can navigate these Medicare changes and ensure that you maintain uninterrupted access to the exceptional General Practice care you rely on.

Thank you for your trust and ongoing support. As more details are revealed by the government, we will share them with you, and we will be in a better position to answer the questions you will undoubtedly have.

Warm regards,
Mrs Kerry and Dr Anthony Kresevic
Business owners
Edmonton Family Medical Centre

P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media and visit our Practice website to stay informed about the latest updates and developments. Your active engagement ensures that you receive accurate and reliable information directly from us.

RESPECTING THE PRIVACY OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMTION

Personal health information is a particular subset of personal information and can include any information collected about a person in order to provide a health service.

The information we collect about a patient can include medical details, family information, name, address, employment and other demographic data, past medical and social history, current health issues and future medical care, Medicare number, accounts details, and any health information such as a medical or personal opinion about a person’s health, disability or health status.

Personal health information also includes the formal health record (written or electronic) and information held or recorded on any other medium (e.g. letter, facsimile, electronic, verbal).

As an Australian-based organisation, any data and information collected is held, used and disclosed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.

Our security policies and procedures regarding the confidentiality of patient health records and other personal information are documented and our practice team are informed about these at induction and when updates or changes occur.

The practice team can describe how we correctly identify our patients using three (3) patient identifiers to ascertain we have selected the correct patient record before entering or actioning anything from that record.

For each patient we have an individual patient health record containing all clinical information held by our practice relating to that patient. Our practice ensures the protection of all information contained within these files. Our patient health records are accessed only by an appropriate team member as required, and we ensure information held about the patient in different records (e.g. at a residential aged care facility) is available when required.

If a breach of privacy occurs within our practice, we have processes in place to ensure this breach is reported appropriately, handled quickly and effectively, and reviewed to prevent recurrence.

Breaches occur if personal patient information held by the practice is accessed by or disclosed to unauthorised personnel (such as hackers, incorrect recipients or contractors visiting the practice), or is lost entirely by the practice.

Our practice has appointed Dr Anthony Kresevic (Practice Principal) with responsibility for ensuring the privacy and security of personal health information held within our practice.

This includes managing the practice’s electronic systems, computer security and adherence to protocols. Our general practitioners, clinical and allied health team members and all other staff and contractors associated with this practice have a responsibility to maintain the privacy of personal health information and related financial information; the privacy of this information is every patient’s right.

The maintenance of privacy requires that any information regarding individual patients (including practice team members who may be patients) may not be disclosed either verbally, in writing or by copying it either at the practice or outside it, during or outside normal opening hours, except for strictly authorised use within the patient care context at the practice or as legally directed.

There are no degrees of privacy. All patient information must be considered private and confidential, even that which is seen or heard and therefore must not to be disclosed to family, friends, members of the practice team not involved in that patient’s care, or any other people without the patient’s approval.

Details about a person’s medical history or other contextual information such as details of an appointment can sometimes still identify them, even if no name is attached to that information. This is still considered personal information and as such it must be protected in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.

Any information given to unauthorised persons will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal. Each member of our practice team is bound by a confidentiality agreement, which is signed upon commencement of working at our practice.

Edmonton Family Medical Centre understands the importance of protecting patient information at all costs. However, in the event that a data breach does occur, our practice complies with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s (OAIC) Notifiable Data Breach (NBD) Scheme where notification must be made where the breach is deemed ‘eligible’ for notification.

An eligible data breach is when there is evidence of unauthorised access, unauthorised disclosure, or loss of personal health information; the breach is likely to result in serious harm to one or more individuals; and the practice has not been able to prevent the risk of harm through remedial actions.

If all three of these criteria are filled, Edmonton Family Medical Centre reports the breach to the OAIC using the Notifiable Data Breach Form available from their website. We then ensure we have notified any patients or personnel affected by the breach, as well as our medical indemnity insurer and all practice GPs’ personal insurance providers.

For breaches relating to My Health Record, the Australian Digital Health Agency will also need to be notified in addition to the notification made to the OAIC.

Upon notification of the breach and all possible remedial action being taken by the practice, our practice logs the incident within our incident register for review at the next practice team meeting or, if the data breach is significant, at a specifically arranged meeting as soon as possible.

Any changes to systems or processes as a result of a breach are communicated to the practice team and are regularly monitored to ensure the changes remain in place and are effective for preventing a recurrence of the incident.

The management of all practice computers and servers comply with the RACGP’s Information Security in General Practice guidelines and we have a sound backup system and a contingency plan to protect the practice from loss of data.

Members of the practice team have different levels of access to patient personal health information as appropriate to their roles.

There are risks associated with electronic communication in that the information could be intercepted or read by someone other than the intended recipient. Email communications with other healthcare providers is undertaken securely through the use of encryption. Email communication with patients is discouraged; however, where initiated by the patient, the risks are communicated and patient consent is obtained.

Facsimile, printers and other electronic communication devices in the practice are located in areas that are only accessible to the general practitioners and other authorised team members.

Patient privacy and security of information is maximised during consultations by closing the consulting room doors. When the consulting, treatment room or administration office doors are closed, practice team members must ensure they knock and wait for a response prior to entering.

The physical health records and related information created and maintained for the continuing management of each patient are the property of this practice. This information is deemed a personal health record and while the patient does not have ownership of the record, he/she has the right to access under the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988. Requests for access to a patient’s health record will be acted upon only if the request is received in written format.

Both active and inactive patient health records are kept and stored securely.

A patient health record may be solely electronic, solely paper-based, or a combination (hybrid) of paper and electronic records.

Our practice is considered paperless and has systems in place to protect the privacy, security, quality and integrity of the personal health information held electronically. Appropriate team members are trained in computer security policies and procedures.

Let’s Talk About Fees.

You have probably noticed the commentary in the media about the move away from bulk billing in general practice.

Perhaps you have been surprised by an increased out-of-pocket cost to see your GP.

As owners of the Edmonton Family Medical Centre, we are private small business owners, just like your local independent retailer, freelance artist or tradie.

We have been providing medical services to the Edmonton community for more than 20 years and we have strived to provide the highest standard of health care to our patients.

This included bulk billing these services at no extra cost.

The costs of providing this health care have continued to rise sharply due to the increasing cost of modern technologies and medicines, and running a business that employs a skilled work force.

The GP you see is also a private, small business owner.

The fees you pay to see your GP are how they earn their money.

Medicare does not pay GPs. Medicare pays you.

The Federal Government determines your Medicare rebate and how much help they want you to receive to pay your health bills.

Medicare rebates have never kept pace with inflation and in fact any rises have been effectively frozen over the last 10 years.

From 2013-2018, the government froze your Medicare rebate to see a GP, and since then, the annual increase has been well below the consumer price index (CPI).

This year the government paid you a slight 1.6 per cent increase in your Medicare rebate, and over these years, the GPs have been absorbing the difference and slowly watching the profession erode under strain.

As a result, the current funding for general practice is less than half of what if should be if it kept up with the real-world costs of delivering a high-quality general practice service.

We have now reached a stage where the Medicare rebate cannot sustain the long-term viability of our medical service.

Your Medicare rebate currently stands at $39.75 for a standard consult lasting between 10 and 20 minutes.

This amount must cover room rental, administrative and nursing services, medical consumables, compulsory medicolegal insurance, income tax, mandatory professional development, with a small amount left for the doctor to live on.

Most GPs get no leave entitlements whatsoever.

No annual, sick, maternity, compassionate or long service leave.

If they are sick at home – no income.

Having a baby – no income. Caring for a loved one – no income.

When a patient doesn’t show up for their appointment – no income, yet many costs continue.

Please understand the Medicare rebate is your payment from the government to help you pay for your healthcare.

When you’re bulk billed, you provide consent to redirect your rebate to your GP as payment for their service.

The GP misses out on the difference between the government’s payment to you and the actual cost of your healthcare, which is more than double your rebate amount.

Every time your GP bulk bills your consult, they take more than a 50 per cent pay cut to what the Australian Medical Association (AMA) recommends they should charge.

The GP absorbs this and has been doing so for years. But it’s slowly destroying their business viability and they need to sometimes charge a gap fee.

Bulk billing is no longer sustainable for general practices in Australia.

Gap fees are now essential for practices to survive. GPs are at breaking point, and it can’t go on.

There is then a further burden of the decrease in medical graduates taking up the career of a GP, particularly in regional Australia.

In the 1980s, about 40 per cent of graduates chose general practice; this is now down to 15 per cent.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has reported there are 10 new non-GP specialists to every one new GP.

Our GPs and practice teams see patients every day who are angry about the cost of their GP visit.

We understand this frustration.

The best thing we can do to safeguard affordable healthcare is to continue to raise this issue with the government to increase your Medicare rebate.

GPs are not Medicare-funded employees. We’re small business owners trying to keep patients healthy and our businesses alive.

 

For our practice to be sustainable and continue to deliver the best standard of care for our patients, from January 1st, 2023, we will be introducing a gap fee.

Extensive consideration has gone into this decision, and we thank you for your understanding.

We will continue to bulk bill children under 16, pension and concession card holders and DVA patients. Please see our website (www. edmontonfmc.com.au) or reception for a copy of our Bulk Billing Policy.

The Specialist GP’s and our clinic staff are fully committed to providing our community with the best affordable health care.

Dr Anthony and Mrs Kerry Kresevic

Vasectomy is a popular method of contraception for men. About one in four Australian men over the age of 40 has had a vasectomy.

Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that involves cutting the tubes that carry the sperm from the testes (the vas deferens or the “vas”). After the procedure, ejaculated semen will not contain sperm. Instead, the sperm will be reabsorbed into the body.

What is the process for getting a vasectomy?

Step one – assessment:

If you are looking to have a vasectomy, you will need to have an initial assessment. During this visit the vasectomy procedure is explained and an examination is performed to make sure that you are able to have the procedure safely performed under local anaesthetic. We will take you through any questions you may have to make sure the procedure is right for you.

Step two – procedure:

The procedure takes approximately half an hour and is done under local anaesthetic.

It is a quick, effective and relatively painless procedure.

Step three – recovery:

After the procedure, it is normal for there to be a small amount of bruising and mild discomfort which supportive underwear and over-the-counter pain killers will help with. You can also use an ice pack to reduce swelling.

You can return to work, or light duties if you have a physically demanding job, within a few days. After five days, you can resume sexual activity. Your vasectomy will not impact your sexual performance or ability to ejaculate. However, it is important to note that your vasectomy will not be immediately effective. It will take a few months after the vasectomy for the sperm to clear out of the ducts. You will need to use a different method of contraception until you get the all clear.

After a fortnight you can resume exercise. After a month you can resume heavy weights, contact sports and cycling.

Step four – follow up sperm count:

After three months, you will need to have a sperm count done to confirm that the vasectomy has been successful. This test is looking to see that there are no longer any live sperm in the semen. You should not stop using contraception until we have confirmed with you that your sperm count is zero. You should still use a condom in situations if you are at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Cost

You will be $293.40 out of pocket after receiving your Medicare rebate. The total fee billed, including Medicare rebate, is between $500 and $650.

FAQs

If you’ve arrived at this page, you’re probably at least curious about vasectomy and wanting to know more. You probably have a few questions. The practicalities of vasectomy aren’t often part of public conversation so there are a few myths and misconceptions out there. We’re here to put you at ease with a quick fact check because, let’s be honest, not knowing is often the worst part.

If you have any extra questions or want any clarification check out the information below.

Can vasectomy be reversed?

Vasectomy should be considered a permanent method of contraception. You need to be certain that you do not want any more, or any, children.

Vasectomy reversal involves re-joining the cut ends of the vas deferens, usually by microsurgery. This operation is much more complex than vasectomy, needs to be done under general anaesthetic and can take several hours. Success is not guaranteed and it can be very expensive.

Will it affect my sexual function/ability to ejaculate?

Vasectomy will not affect your libido (sex drive), sexual function or ability to ejaculate in any way. The only thing that changes is that your semen will no longer have any sperm in it.

One study found men who had had a vasectomy reported improved sexual satisfaction, perhaps because of less stress since unintended pregnancy was no longer a worry.

Will it affect my testosterone levels?

A vasectomy does not remove your testes, which is where testosterone is produced, so your testosterone levels will remain unchanged. It simply redirects sperm by cutting the vas deferens so that it can’t mix with semen.

Is it going to hurt?

Many men don’t even feel the local anaesthetic needle. Once the anaesthetic takes effect, you won’t feel the procedure which only lasts about 30 minutes.

Some bruising and pain or aching is normal for up to one to two weeks after vasectomy. Rest, elevation and over-the-counter pain killers will help.

Usually the thought is far worse than the reality. It’s nothing like a kick to the balls, despite what your friends may tell you!

Will my semen/ejaculate look different afterwards?

The amount and colour of semen you produce should look the same as it did before vasectomy. Sperm only makes up about 2% of the volume of an ejaculation.

How effective is vasectomy?

Vasectomy is more than 99.85% effective making it one of the most effective forms of contraception.

Is it similar to female tubal ligation?

Female sterilisation or tubal ligation in women is a more complex procedure than a vasectomy, usually performed laparoscopically with one or two scalpel incisions under general anaesthetic. The fallopian tubes are cut and then tied off, clipped or cauterized.

Vasectomy only requires a single small puncture in the skin of the scrotum and requires about three stitches.

Book an assessment

You can book an assessment without referral by phoning our practice on 07 4055 4556.

 

We would like to advise patients that our prices for some procedures will no longer be bulk billed.

For you, this will mean Iron Infusions, Implanon removal or insertion and Mirenas will have an out-of-pocket fee.

As you know, we value your business and have worked hard with you to achieve better health outcomes.

Like any business though, our own operating costs do increase over time.

To maintain the level of service you’re accustomed to, this increase is necessary, so we wanted to communicate this to you in good time.

We’re confident that our prices remain competitive within our sector for the quality of the service that we provide and as always, we’re focused on the results we provide to patients.

ATAGI recommends an additional booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to increase vaccine protection before winter for selected population groups (see Table 1) who are at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and who have received their primary vaccination and first booster dose. These groups are:

• Adults aged 65 years and older
• Residents of aged care or disability care facilities
• People aged 16 years and older with severe immunocompromise (as defined in the  ATAGI statement on the use of a 3rd primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine in individuals who are severely immunocompromised)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older.

The additional winter booster dose can be given from 4 months or longer after the person has received their first booster dose, or from 4 months after a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, if infection occurred since the person’s first COVID-19 booster dose.

ATAGI recommends that the rollout of the additional booster dose for these groups starts from April 2022, coinciding with the rollout of the 2022 influenza vaccination program.

Influenza vaccine can be co-administered with the additional booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine. However, if a person is not yet eligible for their additional booster dose, influenza vaccine could be given ahead of the additional booster dose.

Comirnaty (Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) are the preferred vaccines for COVID-19 booster doses including the additional winter booster dose. Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) can be used when an mRNA vaccine is contraindicated or a person declines vaccination with an mRNA vaccine. Nuvaxovid (Novavax) can be used if no other COVID-19 vaccine is considered suitable for that person.

For other groups not listed above, there is insufficient evidence of the benefits of an additional booster dose to make recommendations at this time. This includes people younger than 65 years with medical conditions that may increase their risk of COVID-19, individuals with disability and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) recipients who are not in residential disability care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 to 49, workers at health care or residential care facilities, or younger healthy adults. ATAGI will continue to monitor emerging evidence and may recommend an additional dose for these groups in the future.

Prevention of severe illness from COVID-19 remains the primary goal of the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination program. These recommendations for an additional booster dose focus on protecting the most vulnerable groups against severe disease and reducing the potential burden on the healthcare system over the coming months.

The secondary aims of the COVID-19 vaccination program are preventing infection and preventing transmission of the virus. There is limited evidence at this stage for additional booster doses to prevent transmission. Emerging evidence in relation to prevention of transmission by vaccination will continue to be monitored and additional booster doses may be recommended in additional groups in the future.

All people aged 16 years and older are recommended to receive a first booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine after completing their primary course. For most people, this will be a third dose. The booster dose is important to maintain protection against COVID-19.

For any person aged 16 and older who has not received their first booster yet, ATAGI recommends they receive it as soon as possible.

Protection against infection wanes after the first booster dose. However, protection against severe disease (rather than all infection) is relatively well maintained, especially in young healthy populations.

Thanks to the efforts of Queenslanders, the Edmonton Family Medical Centre will be holding our last Covid 19 vaccination clinics this week.

As vaccination rates increase steadily, Far North Queenslanders have rolled up their sleeves for the jab.

More than 180,000 doses have been administered by GP clinics and the Cairns Hinterland and Hospital Health Service since February.

As of March 13, 93% of our region’s residents aged over 16 years have had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

78% of our First Nations residents over 16 years have had two doses and 40% of our children aged 5-11 years have had one dose and 6.6% have had two doses.

Across the state, 91.5% of Queenslanders aged over 16 are fully vaccinated.

If you still require a Covid 19 vaccine, you can still get vaccinated at the Pier Shopping Centre or check with your local pharmacy for availability.

With more Australians travelling, EFMC will be running flu clinics for local residents.

With Queensland’s borders reopening in December 2021, we are serious about helping you, our team and the community help combat the spread of Covid-19.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the community, it is critical that we pay attention to scientists and health care providers at the front line working to solve immediate problems for the benefit of all.

We know you have many questions: How does the virus spread? The virus is changing so much, are vaccines effective? Why can vaccinated people still get Covid-19? How can I protect myself? What do I do if I get sick? What is the risk of my child becoming sick?

We know that fear is a natural response in the face of the pandemic and there may be no way to prevent a COVID-19 pandemic in this globalised time, but verified information is the most effective prevention against the disease of panic.

This is an update on what our practice is doing in order to help you.

So, to keep our promise to do everything in our power to deliver the best health care, our doctors are embracing technology to help you manage your health with both video and telephone consultations available to eligible patients.

You can still see us face-to-face.

You might be thinking no masks are needed outside, most of us are vaccinated, it’s not really a problem up here in Far North Queensland, everything else is opening up or it’s not safe to come in but the reality is we do know that some things still work when it comes to helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Here’s what we can all do:

• Wash your hands regularly.
• Cough in a tissue or into your elbow.
• Keep your distance – Social distancing.
• Clean surfaces.
• Do not touch your face.

So we will be operating as follows:

• We will limit time inside the surgery for our patients by offering video consultations and telephone consultations if you don’t need to see your doctor face-to-face.
• If you are vaccinated or unvaccinated, we will ask you to wear a mask while in the practice. Our doctors will also take precautions while seeing unvaccinated patients.
• If you have any respiratory symptoms, we’ll ask you to wait outside or in your car.
• We’ll ask to see your vaccination passport.
• We’ll be cleaning our practice twice a day.
• Our doctors will be cleaning their rooms after each patient.

So to keep our promise to do everything in our control to deliver the best health care, please be fully prepared for your visit and make sure you have a mask and vaccination passport on hand.

We have seen the mental health effects of extended social isolation for many vulnerable people and some people are more isolated than ever, in more or less self-imposed quarantines.

The everyday life of most people changed from normal to extraordinary around the world.

The current COVID-19 crisis is a unique situation. Not in the history of mankind has a widespread pandemic been met with such extensive and invasive action from political authorities and the health care community.

The scale of the crisis and governments’ responses have been matched by a colossal flow of information about COVID-19 with 24/7 news coverage, televised press conferences provided by both political leaders and health authorities, prime time speeches to the people by kings, presidents, prime ministers and religious leaders, as well as news analyses, debates and social media posts.

But we have also seen Australians come together and our collective actions have ensured we are all in it together.