Home Health Assessments (HHA)
Patients from the age of 75 years or Indigenous patients from the age of 55 years are eligible for a Health Assessment on a annual basis. This service can only be provided with the patient’s consent and is not provided to patients in nursing homes or hostels.
Benefit to Patients
1. Improved clinical health outcomes
o Vaccination rates
o Decreasing falls risk
o Nutritional advice
o Home safety assessment
o Foot assessment and disease prevention
2. Social contact
3. Improved access to community care services
4. No cost to patients (if bulk billed)
5. Patients will be provided with a Health Assessment which will serve as a record which can be used by other health care providers.
6. Increased confidence in patient’s GP.
7. Increased awareness of patients' medical problems.
Standard requirements
A Home Health Assessment should generally only be undertaken by the medical practitioner, or a practitioner working in the medical practice who has provided the majority of services to the patient over the past 12 months. Information is collected during the assessment by a nurse in accordance with accepted medical practice, acting under the supervision of the GP.
The other components of the assessment must include a consultation with the GP. The GP should offer the patientt a copy of the Health Assessment and any recommendations.
The Process
1. General Practitioner determines patient eligibility & gains consent for the assessment.
2. GP refers the patient to PCM.
Assessment appointment is made to suit the patient.
3. PCM performs health assessment in the patient's home.
Written report is submitted to GP.
4. GP discusses the findings and recommendations with patient. Medicare item number submitted.
Comprehensive Medical Assessments (CMA)
CMAs are a service for permanent residents of aged care homes, including residence of veterans affairs and RSL villages. A CMA involves a personal attendance by the resident's GP to undertake a full systems review, including an assessment of the resident's health and physical and psychological function.
CMA’s complement normal aged care consultation items and other Medicare items available for residents of aged care homes, such as contribution to a multidisciplinary care plan for eligible residents. Where a resident’s GP has contributed to a care plan for a resident, the resident is eligible to access new Medicare items for certain allied health and dental services on referral from their GP (MBS items 10950 to 10977).
Benefits to GPs
To provide an opportunity for GPs to get to know the medical history of residents who may be new to them. To develop a good understanding of what care the resident will need. To provide the opportunity for stronger working relationships between GP's and aged care homes, thus making it easier for GPs to contribute to planning care with the aged care team. CMAs can also contribute important information to dommicillary medication management reviews for residents.
Benefits to aged care homes
The results of a CMA will contribute to the ongoing care of the resident including the resident's care plan. The assessments will identify the resident's medical needs and provide important information, including diagnoses and problems, for planning individual care and medication management strategies.
Benefits to the community
Increased engagement of general practice with aged care can help prevent deterioration in health and functioning of residents. Help reduce avoidable emergency department visits and hospital admissions. CMAs and other related initiatives for aged care homes provide a more integrated approach to addressing current service gaps and greater incentive for GP involvement in aged care.
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