Overview
Improving integration and coordination of care is an identified priority area within the Australian Better Health Initiative (ABHI) – a $500 million joint Australian, state and territory government initiative announced by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in February 2006 to promote good health and reduce the impacts of chronic disease for all Australians.
In July 2006, Australian Health Ministers approved the ABHI implementation plan, including approximately $28 million in Australian Government funding to be used to improve the ‘integration of primary health care service’ – what the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) has called the Primary Care Integration Program.
State and territory governments have also contributed funding to this component of ABHI and are progressing their own integration initiatives. In Queensland, the Connecting Healthcare in Communities (CHIC) Initiative is part of ABHI.
DoHA has consulted with the Queensland Department of Health to ensure that both levels of government target their efforts to improve primary care services in the most efficient and effective way.
Integration is particularly important in the context of better managing patients with chronic or complex conditions who often receive care from multiple providers, funded by different jurisdictions, across different settings. For these patients in particular, care can often be disjointed and fragmented.
An essential requirement of integrated care is to establish collaborative relationships between the different primary care service providers. This Program will help to either establish or strengthen communication channels and information sharing between the public and privately funded primary care sectors so that patients receive more streamlined care.
Objectives
Funding in Queensland is intended to encourage more patient centred care by supporting general practice to:
- Communicate and link better with other primary care providers;
- Make better use of existing primary and community care services including Commonwealth, state and non-government organisation funded services that are targeted at patients across the whole chronic disease continuum;
- Utilise tools/strategies that will assist in better managing patients with chronic disease (e.g. disease registers, recall & reminder systems);
- Contribute to work around developing local chronic disease care pathways (generic or specific) and referral tools; and
- Engage with state funded primary care initiatives such as CHIC Initiative, recognising the Queensland Government policy directions and initiatives promoting integrated primary and community care.
Another key objective is that Divisions progress sustainable systems changes that support more integrated primary and community care services into the future.
Program Detail
Eighteen ABHI Primary Care Integration projects have commenced in Queensland Divisions. In future this site will highlight achievements arising from these projects.
Resources
Please enter the "Member Login" section of this site, select Programs where you will find additional documentation.
Links
Australian Department of Health and Ageing ABHI Overview http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/feb2006coag03.htm
Feedback
Lisa New
Program Coordinator - ABHI Primary Care Integration
Email: lnew@gpqld.com.au
Phone: 07 3105 8300
Click here to download a Fact Sheet on the ABHI Primary Care Integration Program.