Business Management

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Business Management offers comprehensive resources for all aspects of a strong, viable and sustainable general practice. 

2024 Practice Assist Yearly Planner 

To get you started for 2024, the Primary Care Navigator team have created a General Practice 2024 Year Planner that includes important dates to remind you of just some of the following:

  • PIP & WIP quarters
  • Shared Health Summary Uploads
  • Events & Training
  • Practice Connect newsletter publication dates
  • Other consideration for your practice

The General Practice 2024 Year Planner has been created as a fillable PDF that allows you to customise it to your practice needs.
 

Quick Guide

In managing the business of General Practice, it is important to align with the RACGP 5th Standards for General Practice.  In the information on the page below we have provided an indication of how this information may link to the Accreditation Standards. These topics may also refer to additional criterion and is not an exhaustive list.

Please note the information and resources should be viewed as a general guide only. Practices should implement their own judgement and skill in creating documents and policies which suit their individual practice. It is recommended practices seek professional advice where necessary for their own particular circumstances.

For more information regarding accreditation please refer to RACGP 5th Standards for General Practice and the Accreditation toolkit.

Human Resources

Position Descriptions


Position Descriptions 

The following position descriptions are provided as a template to assist you to customise a position description specific to your practice and the role. 

When specific roles and responsibilities are agreed to and documented (eg in position descriptions):

  • The practice can monitor each team member’s performance against their role’s requirements, and determine whether any support and training is required
  • Each team member knows who they are reporting to for each duty or responsibility
  • Each team member knows who is responsible for each aspect of the practice’s operations (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.2)​​

Performance Review templates


Performance Review templates 

The objectives of performance monitoring are to assess the performance of an individual and to determine how the practice team would benefit from further training and development. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.2)

Team member commencement and termination


Team member commencement and termination 

An induction program must be a routine part of employment, so that all new practitioners and other practice team members understand:
  • The principles and policies under which the practice operates
  • The day-to-day operations of the practice
  • Workplace health and safety issues
  • The processes for maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of patients’ health information 
  • The systems used to identify and manage emergency patients who come to, or contact, the practice (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.2)​

Occupational Health and Safety and Infection Control

Work Health and Safety


Work Health and Safety

Each practice owner/manager is responsible for providing a safe working environment. This includes being genuinely committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of the whole practice team. The practice owner/manager is obliged to meet their responsibilities as an employer by adhering to relevant federal and state/territory workplace health and safety (WHS) laws. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.5)

Infection Control


Infection Control 

Having systems with clear lines of accountability and responsibility is part of good governance and the delivery of safety and quality care of patients.

It is important to keep patients and the practice team safe from infection. Infection prevention and control reduces the risk of infection travelling from patient to patient, or from patient to members of the practice team. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion GP4)

Practice Governance and Management

Risk Management


Risk Management 

Managing safety and risk is part of quality assurance, and therefore is a significant part of practice management. Clinical risks need to be managed, but so too do business risks, because if the business fails, the practice will not be able to provide clinical care. A risk management process helps you to consistently identify, document and manage business risks. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion 3)

Business Continuity


Business Continuity 

If your practice uses computers to store patient health information, you must have a business continuity plan to protect information in the event of an adverse incident, such as a system crash or power failure. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.1,C6.4)

Emergency Response Plan


Emergency Response Plan 

If your practice is prepared for an emergency, you are more likely to provide effective continuity of care for your patients, and to continue operating your business as smoothly as possible. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C3.3)

Clinical Management

Informed patient decisions


Informed patient decisions 

Patients have the right to make informed decisions about their health, medical treatments, referrals and procedures. You have a duty to provide information that the patient can understand, and that is tailored to their individual needs. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C1.3)

Clinical Handover


Clinical Handover 

Clinical handover needs to occur whenever there is a transfer of care from one provider to another​.

Clinical handover of patient care, to other members of the clinical team and to external care providers, occurs frequently in a practice. Lack of, or inadequate, transfer of care is a major risk to patient safety. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C5.3)

Managing Clinical Risk


Managing Clinical Risk

Patient safety incidents in clinical care occur in all health settings. If you use systems to recognise and analyse near misses and adverse events, you can identify, implement, and test solutions to prevent them happening again. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion QI3.1, QI3.2)

Access to Care


Access to care 

By working cooperatively with other healthcare providers and services, you can provide optimal care to patients whose healthcare requires integration of multiple services. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion GP2.3)

Patient Management

Patient Communication


Patient Communication 

All patients need to be able to access information about the practice, including the range and cost of services provided by the practice.

You can provide this information in many formats, such as printed information sheets and text on the practice’s website. Pictures and simple language versions help patients who would otherwise be unable to read or understand such information. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C1.1)

Cultural Awareness


Cultural Awareness 

Respectful and culturally appropriate care is based on cultural awareness and sensitivity, which begins with learning about other cultures and cultural beliefs.

Patients have the right to respectful care that considers and respects their identity, body diversity, religion and cultural beliefs, displays an acceptance of diversity and promotes their dignity, privacy and safety. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion C2.1)

Information Management

Privacy and confidentiality in practice


Privacy and confidentiality in practice 

General Practice must collect personal health information and then safeguard its confidentiality and privacy in accordance with: 
  • The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 
  • Long-standing legal and ethical confidentiality obligations 
  • Other relevant state or territory laws (which may or may not be health specific). (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion 6.3)

Computer and IT Security


Computer and IT security 

Maintaining the privacy and security of health information held by a practice is a legal obligation. This includes maintaining the security of computers and other devices.

As practices are increasingly using electronic communication to communicate with patients and other health professionals, an email policy and a social media policy will help to protect the security of patient information and the reputation of the practice. (RACGP Standards for General Practice - Criterion 6.4)
Disclaimer: 
Please note the information and resources provided in this toolkit  should be viewed as a general guide only. Practices should implement their own judgement and skill in creating documents and policies which suit their individual practice. It is recommended practices seek professional advice where necessary for their own particular circumstances.
Practice Assist acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners and Elders of this country and recognises the significant importance of their cultural heritage, values and beliefs and how these contribute to the positive health and wellbeing of the whole community.

Disclaimer
While the Australian Government Department of Health has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed, by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.