25 January 2024
WA Primary Health Alliance 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. Throughout this newsletter, the term 'Aboriginal' is used to refer to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, unless stated otherwise.
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When practices register for MyMedicare they have an option to set a preference on how registrations initiated by patients through the Medicare Online App (MOA) are accepted. If a patient completes a registration in MOA with a practice who has elected to manually accept registrations, it will show in the MyMedicare system as pending (or not complete), until the practice has accepted or declined the registration. Services Australia advises there are a significant number of pending registrations which have not been accepted by practices. If a pending registration is dormant awaiting acceptance from the practice for more than 30 days, it will expire, and the patient will need to re-register in MyMedicare. More information on preference settings in MyMedicare can be found on page 27 of the Services Australia MYMEDM02 Managing Patient Registrations module.
To complete registration for your patients in the MyMedicare system, practices are required to enter the patient information collected on hard copy MyMedicare registration form into the Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) website. The practice must keep a copy of the signed form with the patient’s clinical records. For further information on how to work the patient registration forms see the Services Australia eLearning Module. Services Australia is unable to process hardcopy registration forms and are unable to register patients in the system if they receive hardcopy forms. If your practice has questions regarding the registration process, you can access education materials via the Services Australia Health Professional Education website or contact a Medicare Engagement Officer at Services Australia on 132 150.
A minor change has been made to the patient registration form to clarify eligibility for residential Aged Care Home residents. RACH residents are eligible for MyMedicare if they have a Medicare or DVA card and received two in person appointments with their regular practice in the preceding 24 months, or one appointment in rural and remote areas. These in person appointments can be provided at the practice, in the patient’s home or at a residential aged care home. Under eligibility criteria the updated form now reads “You’ve had 2 or more face-to-face appointments with your regular general practice or health service in the past two years.” The updated patient registration form can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health website.
MyMedicare Terms and Conditions are now available via the Australian Government Department of Health website and have been integrated into the Medicare Online App (MOA).
As the temperature rises and the days become hotter, primary care providers can be prepared to address the unique healthcare needs that arise during the summer season. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has developed a comprehensive Summer Preparedness Module to guide healthcare professionals in providing optimal care during this time. The RACGP modules can be found here. Key pieces of information from the RACGP module have been outlined below:
By remaining aware of local prevalence of diseases such as mosquito-borne viruses and tick-borne illnesses, primary care providers can support their practice and patients this summer.
Summer preparedness is important for primary care providers to support the well-being of their patients, staff and their own wellbeing during the warmer months. The RACGP Summer Preparedness Modules provide a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, offering guidance on heat-related illnesses, sun protection, insect-borne diseases, and mental health challenges. By staying informed and implementing the recommendations outlined in the modules, primary care providers can effectively address the unique healthcare needs that arise during the summer season.