The average time a patient spends with their GP is 17 minutes,a seemingly positive figure that hid “a darker story”,RACGP president-elect Dr Harry Nespolon said.
Releasing the report in Canberra on Wednesday,Dr Nespolon will push for a substantial investment in mental healthcare,including increased funding for longer consultations and planning.
The current Medicare rebate system undervalued longer consultations,with each additional minute attracting a lower rebate,and patients who could not pay the out-of-pocket costs were missing out on the care they needed,Dr Nespolon said.
The patients were often in greatest need of longer consultations,including those with mental health issues as well as children and the elderly.
“As access to psychologists and psychiatrists can be restrictive,to say the least,GPs must not only work as the frontline of support – but as the entire support model,something which is currently not supported by patient Medicare rebates,” he said.
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And as Australia’s obesity rates grow “so do the medical complications for our patients,” Dr Nespolon said.
“I have met many passionate general practitioners who have spoken to me about their need to frequently skip meal breaks and work late into the evening to provide care for their community.”
They were often working with patients unable to afford out-of-pocket costs,Dr Nespolon said.
“As such,these GPs do not receive the appropriate level of compensation for their work as they are providing bulk-billed services.
“If there is not a substantial and co-ordinated push to make sure that our current health epidemics are addressed – I am fearful of what the future may hold for Australia’s healthcare."
The report also found patients may be choosing a GP based on their sex and age to manage their specific health concerns.
For instance,female GPs and GPs under 45 years old were more likely to see patients with psychological problems than male and older GPs.
The gender difference was most stark for women’s health. It was among the most common ailments treated by 34 per cent of female GPs compared to just 1 per cent of their male counterparts.
Female GPs - 45 per cent of the 36,000 GPs in Australia - were almost six times as likely to treat pregnant women than male GPs (23 per cent versus 4 per cent),and younger GPs (under 45) were more than twice as likely to deal with pregnancy and family planning as older GPs (22 per cent versus 10 per cent).
Male GPs were more likely to treat respiratory,musculoskeletal,circulatory and skin conditions.