The number and type of incentives available within PIP will change from 1 August 2019 when five of the existing incentives will cease and a new incentive, the PIP Quality Improvement (QI) Incentive will commence.

The Quality Improvement Incentive aims to recognise and support those practices that commit to improving the care they provide to their patients. Participating practices will be supported to utilise the information they have about their own communities and their knowledge of the particular needs of their own patients to develop innovative strategies to drive improvement. 

As well as demonstrating a commitment to quality improvement, practices will share a minimum set of aggregated data with their local Primary Health Network (PHN), such as the number of patients who are diabetic, the percent who smoke, the cardiovascular risk and weight profile. This information will be collated at the local level by the PHNs to assist in supporting improvement and understanding health needs. There is no requirement for individual patient data, and any measures from an individual practice will not be available to the Department of Health. 

The Colleges, AMA, RDAA, AAPM and NACCHO are also working closely with the PHNs to ensure the program remains focused on its aim of supporting quality practice and on the governance of general practice data.  

With an implementation date of 1 August 2019, the following five Incentives will continue through to 31 July 2019 and then cease:

• Asthma Incentive
• Quality Prescribing Incentive
• Cervical Screening Incentive
• Diabetes Incentive, and
• General Practitioner Aged Care Access Incentive.

The six PIP Incentives that will remain unchanged are:

• eHealth Incentive
• After Hours Incentive
• Rural Loading Incentive
• Teaching Payment
• Indigenous Health Incentive, and
• Procedural General Practitioner Payment.

The Department of Health will be writing to practices and other stakeholders to inform them of this decision.

As a member of the Practice Incentives Program Advisory Group (PIPAG), ACRRM will continue to represent the interests of its members and work with other stakeholders and the Department of Health to secure the best outcomes for rural and remote general practices and the communities they serve.