AMA calls for Medicare changes to help elderly

Australian Medical Association (AMA) president, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, says that changes to Medicare are needed to provide older Australians with better access to GPs.

Dr Capolingua said elderly Australians in aged care facilities, or still in their homes, were suffering more complex and multiple health problems, but their ability to visit a doctor was often limited.

“If older patients cannot visit the doctor, then the doctor should be able to visit them – but the Medicare Benefits Schedule must be updated to encourage and reward doctors for visits to aged care facilities, “ she said.

“GPs should also be enabled under Medicare to delegate their general practice nurses to assist in providing services to their aged care patients.

“Aged care facilities must also be given Government assistance to provide appropriate facilities and computers so GPs can deliver patient care in a proper environment with access to medical records.

“With our ageing population, it is time to make Medicare work properly for our parents and grandparents.”