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Policy and empirical evidence: The case of general practice changes
DP Doessel
Department of Economics, University of Queensland, QLD
Abstract
Financial support from The University of Queensland Foundation for the research reported in this paper is gratefully acknowledged. The assistance of Ms Rukmani Gounder and Mr R. Lenton is also acknowledged. Needless to say the usual caveat applies.
It can be argued that the general practice part of the health sector is very important, as it is typically the first 'port of call' when illness strikes members of the Australin community. Yet very little is known about general practice: However, general practice has been subject to heightened interest in recent years. This increased interest is, in part, explained by an agreement between the Commonwealth Government and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) to introduce new items (and fees), the so-called 'content-based descriptors', in the Medicare Benefits Schedule Book for general practitioner (GP) services provided by GPs who are 'vocationally registered'. To be vocationally registered involves various commitments (with the customary 'grandperson clauses') to continued medical education and quality assessment. These arrangements were not acceptable to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and necessary legislation for the changes was blocked in the Senate of the Commonwealth Parliament. Subsequently a Senate Select Committee reported on the changes (Senate Select Committee on Health Legislation and Health Insurance, 1989) and the legislation was passed. For an account of this background see Doessel (1990a).
As part of the 'settlement' to this dispute the Commonwealth Government established a research program in the area of general practice, which is providing a means by which the accumulated ignorance about general practice in Australia is being reduced (See Department of Community Services and Health, 1989). As yet, no political scientist or sociologist has analysed the 'blood on the carpet' that occurred during the conflict between the RACGP and the AMA on this issue.
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