TY - JOUR
T1 - General practice utilisation of Medicare Benefits Schedule items to support the care of older patients
T2 - Findings from the REDIRECT study
AU - Turner, Lyle
AU - Pearce, Christopher
AU - Brijnath, Bianca
AU - Browning, Colette
AU - Lowthian, Judy
AU - Shearer, Marianne
AU - Mazza, Danielle
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items designed to support the wellbeing of older people may reduce unnecessary emergency department utilisation, however it is unclear to what extent such items are used. This study examined general practitioner (GP) utilisation of these MBS items through an analysis of the Melbourne East Monash General Practice Database (MAGNET), which contains information collected from GP clinics within the inner east Melbourne region. Sociodemographic and MBS claim data were extracted for patients aged ≥75 years attending a GP between 2005 and 2012. Utilisation of 75+ Health Assessments, General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMP), Team Care Arrangements (TCAs) or reviews, or Medication Management Reviews (MMRs) was assessed. There were 12962 (60.6%) patients assigned at least one of the MBS items. The highest level of claiming was for GPMPs (n≤4754; 35.8%) and TCAs (n≤4476; 33.7%), with MMRs having the lowest use (n≤1023; 6.8%). Examination of GP and patient barriers to the uptake of these items is needed, along with a greater understanding as to whether those most at risk of hospitalisation are receiving these services. Strategies that support capacity to implement these items are also required.
AB - Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items designed to support the wellbeing of older people may reduce unnecessary emergency department utilisation, however it is unclear to what extent such items are used. This study examined general practitioner (GP) utilisation of these MBS items through an analysis of the Melbourne East Monash General Practice Database (MAGNET), which contains information collected from GP clinics within the inner east Melbourne region. Sociodemographic and MBS claim data were extracted for patients aged ≥75 years attending a GP between 2005 and 2012. Utilisation of 75+ Health Assessments, General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMP), Team Care Arrangements (TCAs) or reviews, or Medication Management Reviews (MMRs) was assessed. There were 12962 (60.6%) patients assigned at least one of the MBS items. The highest level of claiming was for GPMPs (n≤4754; 35.8%) and TCAs (n≤4476; 33.7%), with MMRs having the lowest use (n≤1023; 6.8%). Examination of GP and patient barriers to the uptake of these items is needed, along with a greater understanding as to whether those most at risk of hospitalisation are receiving these services. Strategies that support capacity to implement these items are also required.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042500309&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/PY17047
DO - 10.1071/PY17047
M3 - Article
C2 - 29113640
AN - SCOPUS:85042500309
VL - 24
SP - 54
EP - 58
JO - Australian Journal of Primary Health
JF - Australian Journal of Primary Health
SN - 1448-7527
IS - 1
ER -