Healthcare in the system just provided them an opportunity to provide a holistic approach to mind-body health. However, these GPs were affected negatively by the recent Department of Health crackdown and the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) which worsened their disposition.
Dr. Susan Tyler-Freer just left the practice after the crackdown and another GP in Sydney has been considering similar steps.
Meanwhile, a patient was concerned over the compliance campaign noticing that it may affect other GPs as well. The patient said that her GP was instrumental in handling her severe depression. The holistic approach of her GP to her condition just assured a new hope for her life in general.
She expressed her disappointment over the programs that could affect the GP to provide the essential holistic treatment for patients like her.
The compliance letter is detrimental to the claiming of mental and physical health MBS items. Even though only 314 GPs received it, many consider it as a crackdown in the provision of holistic care.
Still, the Department of Health defended the said letter by telling that there was no suggestion that the holistic treatment of the patient was in any way inappropriate. Nevertheless, doctors are still concerned about it.
Dr. Harry Nespolon, the RACGP President demanded a move that would end the campaign. Considering the possible problems surrounding the campaign, it can be proven detrimental to the practice of GPs. For instance, the campaign may mistakenly attribute false accusations to doctors and this could affect their morale.
Despite the wide movements towards its cancellation, the compliance campaign was not stopped.
Greg Hunt, the Federal Health Minister ordered the Department of Health to establish coordination with the RACGP regarding MBS claims. Considering the conflict brought by the compliance campaign, the claiming of mental health items and physical health items could be problematic for some.
Nevertheless, the two GPs expressed their disappointment over the campaign and said that it almost destroyed their integrity on their occupation.
For instance, the experience of Dr. Susan Tyler-Freer in handling patients with complex and challenging conditions asserted her integrity over the practice in general. She allotted quality time for her patients to deal with their conditions effectively and holistically.
When the Professional Services Review called her and scrutinised her, she tried to explain that her patient cohort is complex and diverse but the PSR doctor maintained that the application of rules must be followed strictly.
She explained that the process of dealing with a mental health condition would take a long process and require longer consultation hours. This clearly explains why her claims are more than the usual.
It is advised to her to maintain closer statistics to her peers. This also entails moving away from her usual holistic approach to the patients and this forced her to quit the practice.
Dr. Tyler-Freer mentioned that she was very sad after that phone call where she gave up practicing. After working from hospitals, she is now seeing home-visit patients and moved away from the standards posed by the compliance campaign.
The doctor still considers going back to practice if and only if the atmosphere of anxiety would be removed.
According to her, the recent crackdown made her doubt the healthcare system of the country and she just lost her faith and trust in the system in general.
On the other hand, the GP from Sydney received a worse letter. It was a warning on his claims for mental and physical health items.
The treatment on him was just unfair, he said.
He committed himself to treat patients with serious problems and conditions from addiction to HIV. The warning letter just departed him from his usual practice of allotting a huge focus on every patient.
He felt like being punished after receiving the letter.
The doctor defended her position of allotting a serious amount of time for every consultation. He said that these patients are vulnerable enough to lose themselves due to their conditions and it is his commitment to helping them. The letter sent to him just proved that his integrity of practicing could be disregarded at all.
Furthermore, the way he approaches his treatment for these people usually is driven by the comfort provided by co-billing. Patients deserve the appropriate and necessary treatment and that is the thing he wanted to secure.
Although the medical defense organisation of the GP advised that the GP should be silent and pay back any money demanded, he maintained that he will speak out.
He said that his experience with the NHS in the United Kingdom forced him out of practicing in the said country and now he is being controlled by a new system.
The letter sent to the GP also affects the patients. Due to the compliance notice, the GP needed to reduce consultation hours with his patients.
He questioned the system, in general, pointing out its inappropriate intervention in the practice. He raised a tone that focuses on why the system does not consider the complex patient cohort involving mental health conditions that normally translate to physical illness.
As a result, the GP was demanded to review 900 items. It is expected to be costly considering the taxes being paid in 13 months.
Despite the motivation of continuing to give unselfish service to the patients, the controlling tendencies of the system are detrimental to his practice in general. The needed support for people with mental health issues necessitates a huge amount of time and focus and it is what the GP provides. However, the intervention of the compliance letter remained a hindrance to such.
Expressing his disappointment, the GP chose to continue the practice and comply with the demands outlined in the letter. He is also considering a medico-legal adviser in dealing with such matters.
