Understanding Care Plans
Care plans are pivotal in managing chronic diseases, yet their complexity, largely due to Medicare's intricate rules, can be daunting. It's not uncommon for different doctors to interpret these rules in varied ways, leading to diverse practices among healthcare professionals. I want to acknowledge these challenges upfront and offer this post as a guide to unraveling the complexities of care plans. While interpretations may vary, the core aim of a care plan remains constant: to support your health journey. So, consider this my best effort to clarify care plans, with the hope of making your path through chronic disease management a bit smoother.
GP Management Plan:
A GP Management Plan (GPMP) is like your personalized health blueprint, detailing every aspect of your care. Here’s what it includes, in simple terms:
Your Health Overview: A clear outline of your current health issues and any conditions you're dealing with.
Needed Treatments and Services: This could range from medications you need to take, to additional therapies like physiotherapy that might help you.
How We'll Provide Your Care: The step-by-step plan on how you'll receive the treatments and services outlined above.
Your Health Goals: Together, we'll set realistic and achievable goals (known as SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) that you're comfortable with.
Your Role in Your Health Journey: Think of this as your personal health 'to-do list', actions that you can take to contribute to your health and wellness.
Regular Check-ins: We'll set a date to review your plan and goals, to see how things are going and make any needed adjustments.
Key Points
You have to have a chronic health condition (lasting at least 6 months)
The GP Management Plan should generally be undertaken by the patient's usual general practitioner
These are complex consults and needs to be booked specifically
Team Care Arrangements
The Team Care Arrangement (TCA) works hand-in-hand with your GP Management Plan, acting as a complementary document that brings a team approach to your care. Here's how it works:
When You Need a Team: If your health journey requires the expertise of two or more additional health professionals, each offering a different type of care or service, you meet the criteria.
Setting Goals with Each Provider: For each team member, we'll outline specific goals tailored to their expertise and the services they'll provide to support your health.
Your Action Plan: Similar to your GP Management Plan, the TCA will include actions for you to take, contributing to your overall health and wellbeing.
Regular Team Reviews: We'll plan periodic reviews to ensure your care remains on track and is adjusted as needed for your best outcomes.
Open Communication: We'll have a thorough discussion about the healthcare professionals who will be part of your TCA, ensuring you're comfortable and informed about everyone contributing to your care.
Key Points
You have to have at least 2 providers providing a different service
Each provider need to have health goals, so they have to link to a specific condition or goal
Mental Health Treatment Plan
The Mental Health Treatment Plan is a special kind of care plan focused specifically on supporting your mental well-being. Here's a breakdown of what it involves, in a clear and supportive tone:
Understanding Your Mental Health: This plan starts with a thorough assessment, which may include evaluating your current mental state, understanding any risks, checking for other health issues that might be affecting your mental health, and using specific tools to measure your mental health needs.
Open Discussion: We'll talk through the findings of the assessment together, including any diagnoses or important insights into your mental health, ensuring you have a clear understanding of your situation.
Exploring Your Options: We'll look at various treatment and support options together, considering what's available and what might work best for you.
Setting Personal Goals: Collaboratively, we'll set realistic goals for what we aim to achieve through your treatment, as well as any steps you can take on your own to support your mental health.
Learning About Your Mental Health: Providing psycho-education is a key part of the plan, helping you understand your mental health better and how different factors can affect it.
Planning for the Unexpected: If needed, we'll also create a plan for handling crises or preventing relapse, giving you peace of mind that there's a strategy in place for tough times.
Organizing Your Care: We'll arrange any necessary referrals to specialists, treatment sessions, support services, and plan for regular reviews and follow-ups to keep your treatment on track.
Key Points
The Mental Health Treatment Plan should generally be undertaken by the patient's usual general practitioner
These are complex consults and medicare insist they are at least 20 minutes long - so book a double appointment
