ACRRM urges heart health checks be part of wider health strategy

The College has responded to the announcement from Health Minister the Hon Greg Hunt MP, that from 1 April a new MBS item for heart health checks will support General Practitioners and patients in assessing cardiovascular risk. 

College President Dr Ewen McPhee says that while the College strongly supports the intent to tackle cardiovascular disease, the best results will be obtained if this is done as part of a broader MBS primary care rebate structure rather than as a discrete MBS item which could have the unintended consequence of promoting episodic and fragmented care.

Cardiovascular health is already ‘core business’ for rural doctors and is essential to providing effective primary and preventative health care and especially in general practice. An effective cardiac risk assessment, which can be done in less than 30 minutes, should already be a routine part of a GP consultation and ongoing patient care. 

The College would prefer to see this announcement made as part of a more complete and coordinated Medicare funding package for general practice that is combined with a broader public health campaign to address the impact of cardiovascular disease.  This would send a clear message about the expectation a heart health check should be part of the regular cycle of GP care. 

Dr McPhee said that MBS should focus on recognising high-quality continuity of care, rather than incentivising one component - albeit an important one.

“If we are to promote effective primary and preventative care, we need to commit to longer term and strategic reforms designed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, and with a thorough consideration of their short and long-term impacts and potential benefits. 

“A more effective strategic approach to be considered by all political parties in the lead up to the Federal election, would be to incorporate heart health checks with public health campaigns to improve diet and exercise habits and provide better health education

ACRRM will be writing to Minister Hunt to request that that College be involved in further consultations regarding the design and implementation of the new item number.

Minister Hunt’s media release is available on the Department of Health website.