ehealth Practice Incentive Payment (PIP)
Data management
Practice Incentive Program
This page provides information about the the Practice Incentive Payment for GPs.
The PIP eHealth Incentive was announced as part of the 2008-09 Budget, and will start from August 2009. The incentive aims to encourage use of electronic health systems in PIP practices. The PIP eHealth Incentive will replace the existing PIP IM/IT Incentive, which will cease in August 2009.
This new incentive aims to encourage general practices to keep up to date with the latest developments in eHealth.
The eHealth Incentive will be incorporated into the PIP payments with a payment level of $6.50 per Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent (SWPE).
Payments will be capped at $12 500 per practice per quarter, up to a maximum of $50 000 per year.
To qualify for the eHealth PIP practices must comply with the following three requirements:
1. Secure Messaging
2. PKI Registration
3. Have electronic clinical resources available
Read about the Medicare Australia Practice Incentive Payments (PIP)
What steps does our practice need to follow?
Step 1: Practice computerization for the eHealth payment
The Division provides comprehensive assistance with all aspects of practice computerization including computer, network and Internet setup, software selection and training. The Division can assist with set up of secure messaging, PKI registration and identify suitable electronic clinical resources.
Step 2: Installation of a data extraction tool (eg Canning or PEN tools).
These tools allow you to review your current diabetes, heart disease and asthma lists, etc. This is a free service offered by the Division and will not affect your clinical desktop systems.
Step 3: Data cleaning and reporting
Other components of data cleaning include deactivating deceased patients routinely, deactivating patients who have not presented to the practice in last 3 years and ensuring that processes are put into place to sustain ongoing data cleaning. Data cleaning also involves the establishment of diabetes and other disease specific registers as well as cleaning up outstanding requests and recalls. Through the use of the data extraction tool your practice can monitor it's progress.
What can the Division offer?
The Division provides:
- A comprehensive IT help desk service via phone or onsite in practices
- Assist with the installation, training and support of data extraction packages
- Assist with data cleaning
- Assist with the development of register, recall and reminder systems
- Assist with the installation of Argus secure messaging software
- Assist with installation, training and support of Medical Director and Best Practice software by phone or onsite in practices
- Advise and assist with all computer hardware, software, network, security and Internet issues
More information
Please contact Domenic Bonfiglio at Bankstown GP Division