In alignment with the recommendations from the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report, Healthy North Coast (HNC) is assisting local practices with enhancing continuity of care and strengthening patient/practitioner relationships through registration to the MyMedicare program. This initiative promotes voluntary patient registration, which is essential for fostering these vital connections.
As of October 2024, 77% of general practices in the North Coast region have successfully registered for MyMedicare. To facilitate this process, HNC has developed a suite of online resources and has provided dedicated support via phone to practice managers who require assistance. These tools can be found on our website.
Helping general practices with registration
Recognising the challenges of navigating the complex PRODA platform for registering organisations, patients, and providers, HNC took proactive steps to assist general practices with their MyMedicare registration.
In the early stages, the team collaborated with select general practices to document the registration process, as departmental resources were initially unavailable. This led to the creation of tailored resources, including step-by-step guides and a concise one-page document to help providers update their banking details.
A recent webinar hosted by Services Australia highlighted common pitfalls encountered during registration, such as neglecting to include banking details in PRODA accounts and issues with navigating the program registration tab. Understanding these challenges allowed the HNC team to provide clear guidance on setting up site records and managing delegations effectively.
Tailored & personal assistance
While there are substantial online resources now available, HNC acknowledges that for many busy practice managers and health professionals, the process can still feel overwhelming. Therefore, tailored, personal assistance was provided to ensure that practices in need could easily access help.
This offer of direct support was promoted through a previous edition of this newsletter and followed up with emails inviting GPs and practice managers to reach out for assistance if required with MyMedicare registration, the General Practice Aged Care Incentive, and patient registration coordination.
The response was encouraging, with 22 practices contacting HNC over a 10-week period, many reaching out multiple times. The team provided over-the-phone and web-based support, helping these practices troubleshoot the system and successfully register their patients.
A notable success story involved a GP practice in the Nambucca Valley, where the practice manager faced challenges with the PRODA platform despite her extensive experience. Through two tailored support sessions via Microsoft Teams, she was able step through the process with HNC’s primary care coordinator – residential aged care.
In this instance, the practice needed support in setting up their organisation register tiles, then linking both the MyMedicare and MyMedicare GPACI incentive programs in the site IDs and directing doctors to updating their personal information in their own PRODA accounts. While the supports from Medicare are a great resource, our newly appointed program coordinator values the opportunity to build personal relationships with our local practices and health care providers and so welcomes the chance the establish a connection through direct support.
Continuing to support health organisations in our region
Healthy North Coast continues to promote participation in the MyMedicare voluntary patient registration program to support the delivery of continuity of care to residents of aged care homes in our region and to enable future benefits of the Strengthening Medicare Initiative.
Another highlight has been the reach of our QI pages and step by step guides. These were circulated with NSW PHNs when first published at the end of July 2024 and received great feedback and thanks. We also had a compliment sent from a Queensland PHN in July:
“I am writing to compliment the team who created the ‘Step-by-step guidance: MyMedicare and GPACI program and patient registration’. My role is to support both the Practice Engagement and Older Persons team and finding this amazing resource was a godsent! Well done to your team and thank you for sharing generously.”
The lead national PHN also reached out recently, wanting to include our guide in the national QI toolkit.
For more info:
You can browse our step by step guides below:
- Preparing your residential aged care facility for the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI)
- Register, set up and maintain General Practice in Aged Care Incentive program
- Register your organisation and patients for MyMedicare