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Developing a funding model for an after-hours primary medical care service in a rural town

Peter O’Meara, Robert H Hall, Roger Strasser
Aust Health Rev 1998; 21 (3): 104-115
Abstract

The study described in this paper aimed to determine a funding model for an after-hours primary medical care service in the rural town of Moe, a socioeconomically disadvantaged area of Victoria suffering the rigours of industry restructuring and privatisation. It has 12.5 equivalent full-time general practitioners servicing 21Ê 966 persons. A break-even analysis of the financial viability compared the expected costs of providing the service with the anticipated income. A mixed funding model is recommended. This would incorporate a general practitioner incentive scheme and State Government underwriting of infrastructure and basic non-medical staffing costs during the business development phase to supplement the income from the Health Insurance Commission.

©Aust Health Rev 2004 www.aushealthreview.com.au ISSN: 0156-5788