Practice Management

WentWest provides support to general practice through resources, education and practice visits on Practice Management to enable GPs and their practice teams to provide safe and high quality care to their patients.

WentWest can assist practice managers and staff with day-to-day operations of the medical practice in areas such as:

• Systems Management;
• Information Management – recall and reminder systems;
• Accreditation;
• Privacy and confidentiality;
• Human Resources;
• Practice Nursing and triage.

Risk Assessment and Management

Risk management is not about eliminating risk, but rather risk management allows opportunities to be taken when appropriate, while minimising the likelihood and impact of undesirable events or outcomes.

This is achieved through the application of management policies and processes to enable the systematic identification, analysis, treatment and monitoring of risk.

 

How to Manage Risk in General Practice?

Risk in General Practice can be managed by the means of including, but not limited to, the following systems:

• Achievement of the RACGP standards via the accreditation process;
• Records of staff qualifications and training;
• Patient feedback obtained via surveys/suggestion box/logbook of complaints/comments;
• Documentation of sterilisation procedures including servicing, validation, details of individual loads/cycles and staff training;
• Patient health records;
• Documentation/tracking of abnormal results;
• Regular reviews of systems and procedures;
• Policy on telephone exchanges with patients; and
• Policy on management of near misses and adverse events.

 

Regular formal risk assessment and management in the areas of financial services, human resources, facilities (computers, telephones, storage, infection control), clinical services and patient services are strongly recommended.

 

Action Following a Significant Event

Promote safety and high quality in patient care by discussing errors and near misses openly with colleagues and the practice team to prevent those from happening again. Promoting a safe, no-blame culture within the practice team leads to safe patient care and quality improvement.

 

Slips, lapses and mistakes, which are not appropriately dealt with, may expose patients to an increased risk of adverse outcomes, and practitioners to an increased risk of medico-legal action.

 

For more on this topic download the guide: Regaining Trust After an Adverse Event

 

Links and Resources:

• Access and Correction Personal Information
• Hazard Risk Checklist for Medical Practices
• Near Miss and Adverse Event Register
• Open Disclosure Standards
• Risk Assessment Matrix
• Risk Assessment Plan
• Regaining trust after an adverse event: a series of well timed conversations
• Handbook for the Management of Health Information: www.racgp.org.au/safety
• Getting accredited - where do I start

 

Practice Managers' Network

The Practice Managers' Networking Group (PMNG) meets quarterly, giving Practice Managers the opportunity to discuss current, independent, evidence based information on best practice. The meetings are designed to be a learning environment prompting participants to share and reflect on past experiences.

Benefits include access to templates and resources, development of managerial skills and the enhancement of those skills in which you are already strong.

PMNG focus on topics such as contracts and facilities including accreditation and the RACGP Standards, Industrial Relations, Information Technology and Management, Financial Management, Patient Liaison and Medical Records, Confidentiality and Patient Feedback amongst others.

To join PMNG or to subscribe to the Practice Managers' E-Newsletter, email: practicemanagers@wentwest.com

Practice Managers' Events

These events attract CPD points for GPs and Practice Managers.

• MBS Items and the PEN CAT Tool
  - Thursday, 18th August 2011
  
  
• Risk Management in General Practice
  - Thursday, 22nd September 2011
  
  
• Now in Place: 4th Edition RACGP Standards
  - Thursday, 29th November 2011 (date revised from 17th November due to speaker availability)

To RSVP for these events, click on the following link: WentWest Events Calendar

 

Practice Managers' Newsletters

• Practice Managers News - Sum 2012
• Practice Managers News - Wint 2010
• Practice Managers News - Aut 2010
• Practice Managers News - Sum 09
• Practice Managers News - Wint 09
• Practice Managers News - Aut 09

Links and Resources

• Medicare Online Claiming – Surgery Software Options
• Office of Industrial Relations NSW Department of Commerce – Quick Guide to Recruiting Staff
• Australian Association of Practice Managers
• University of New England Partnerships – Practice Management Workshops
• Australian Medical Association
• Practice Management Resources Site
• Health Records Act
• Federal Privacy Commissioner
• Australian Nursing Federation
• Template confidentiality agreement
• Performance Appraisal Form
• Letter of offer of employment
• New doctor checklist_NEVDGP
• Employee Key Receipt
• Application for Leave
• Generic Practice Nurse Position Description
• GP position description
• PM Position Description
• Receptionist Position Description
• Generic Employment Agreement
• GP SAMPLE CONTRACT
• Practice Nurse Contract Agreement
• Practice Nurse Letter of Offer and Contract Agreement
• Triage Handout
• Contractor Confidentiality Agreement
• Samples Register
• Cleaning Schedule
• COMPLAINTS FORM
• Abnormal Results Log
• Exit Interview Template
• Risk_Assessment_Form
• Medical Practitioners Guide to WorkCover
• Sterilisation Induction Checklist
• Workplace Relations Changes in 2010
• Templates for Managing Employment link: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/Small-business-assistance/Pages/Templates-for-managing-employment.aspx
• WorkCover Rate 2010

More Information

To find out more about how WentWest can assist Practice Managers and Practice Staff, contact the WentWest Practice Management Officer on (02) 8811 7100or email: support@wentwest.com.

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