Daktari has posted some answers on the Wanniassa issue which I thought needed wider prominence than just sitting in the comments:
- As one of the doctors at the Phillip Medical Centre I think I can answer some of your questions.
“How do they currently measure the performance of its contracted doctors at the Phillip Centre? Will the ex-WMC doctors be gauged by these same performance measures at any time within the next 2 years?”
The performance of contracted doctors at Phillip is not measured by PHC, all they need do is fulfill their contractual obligations. Part two of your question is therefore irrelevant.
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“Are GPs at Phillip who engage in regular >5 minute consultations and/or do not maintain their quota of XRay and test referrals considered to be performing below Primary Care prescribed KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)?”
The quicker amongst us average five patients per hour. There is no quota for Xrays or pathology. We can use any Xray or pathology service we choose. I am unaware of PHC having KPIs. Nice myth though: sorry to bust it.
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“What is the first available appointment for Dr X (previously from from the Wanniassa Medical Centre) that I can make and can they guarantee that I will see THAT doctor within 3 hours of my scheduled appointment?”
The doctors from Wanniassa will maintain their existing appointment system ie you make an appointment to see a specific doctor at a specific time. Their punctuality or lack thereof will be the same as it was before the move.
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“When was the last time that Primary Care polled its current Phillip patients to see how well the Centre is performing in the eyes of its current customers? If not in the last 12 months, how important are the views of Primary Care customers considered?”
That was done as part of accreditation just over a year ago.
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“How many of the WCM doctors believe that the move to Phillip is largely a positive one for their respective patients’ health care?”
Interesting question. The WMC doctors signed contracts with Symbion. Their contracts allowed for a move within five km of WMC. They, like the doctors at Phillip, received upfront payments for agreeing to the contractual conditions.
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“What percentage of patient non-transfer rate from WMC have Primary Care deemed acceptable? i.e. have they calculated that the move is financially sound if up to 10%/20%/30% (or more) patients refuse to follow their doctors to Phillip?”
There is such a massive shortage of GPs in this region that even if none of the WMC patients transferred to Phillip all the doctors are going to be flat out any way. By the way, a significant number of WMC patients already attend Phillip as we are open until 10.00 pm every day of the year.
There has been a lot of deliberate misinformation being peddled about the WMC move to Phillip. Contrary to the what Annette Ellis has told you, patients will be able to make appointments to see their own doctor. The WMC practice will be on a separate level, and has its own waiting area.
Interestingly, the Woden area was not considered an area of need by the federal health bureaucrats. However, we consistently see more that 300 patients a day. We see people who can’t get to see their own doctor in a reasonable time frame (within a few days), we see people who can’t get to a see a GP because none are accepting new patients, and we see out of hours patients when most GPs are having a well earned rest. We also see many patients who previously would have had to attend ED at the Canberra Hospital. As a result, we are extremely busy most of the time. We are unable to get enough doctors because of the shortage that exists. Most patients accept that we are doing the best we can under the circumstances. However,a small minority are rude and aggressive toward the reception staff, and carry on like spoiled children. Can you imagine someone making a scene at the door of a restaurant that was about to close (like mdme workalot)?
So instead of blaming the doctors at Phillip for the inconvenience of having to wait for medical attention, perhaps have a think about why there is such a massive shortage of GPs (clue: GP numbers are not controlled by the medical profession).
While it will be inconvenient fore some, the Wanniassa Medical Centre is being moved is being moved lock stock and barrel into new premises less than 5 km up the road.
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