QPI - Quality Prescribing Initiative
A component of PIP (Practice Incentive Program)
 |
John Forsyth QUM & HMR |
 |
Kerry Finlay QUM and Immunisation |
RESOURCES
National Prescribing Service |
Phone 02 8217 8700 |
Fax 02 9211 7578 |
PIP Hotline |
Phone 1800 222 032 |
|
Australian Prescriber |
Phone 02 6241 6044 |
Fax 02 6241 4366 |
What is QPI - Quality Prescribing Initiative
The QPI is a targeted incentive which is part of PIP (Practice Incentive Program). The QPI rewards practices whose GPs complete a range of activities which are recognised or provided by the NPS. Recognised activities include:
1. CLINICAL AUDIT
- The NPS offers clinical audits to all GPs 2-3 times per year. GPs are notified when these audits are available in the NPS Prescribing Practice Review (PPR), which is sent to GPs bi-monthly. The Division also advertises when new audits are available. Previously many GPs ordered the audits through the Division. However, the NPS would prefer all GPs to order directly from them.
- NPS clinical audits are free, accredited by the RACGP and contribute toward Continuing Professional Development. (20 points)
- GPs provide information on their management of a medical condition for approx.20 patients. NPS sends each GP feedback on their results and the aggregate results of all participants.
- Review questions must be completed and returned as part of the clinical audit cycle to be eligible for RACGP points and the QPI. All data is confidential.
2. CASE STUDIES
- Available 6 times/ year, in the NPS News which GPs receive with the free journal - The Australian Prescriber.
- A Case Study requires the GP to answer several questions concerning how he would manage a patient in a particular scenario. (They take about 15 minutes to complete)
- The GP returns their response to the NPS, then receives a commentary and report on the aggregated responses (to the case study).
3. EDUCATIONAL (PRACTICE) VISITS
These are carried out by the BDGP NPS facilitator
- One to one or small group educational visits on a range of topics provided by the NPS
- Small group visits include a case study.
- Provide current evidence based information on a particular topic in the QUM program
REPORTING NPS ACTIVITIES:
The Division's NPS program manager will inform the NPS when
an educational visit has taken place, for the purpose of
receiving the QPI.
The NPS informs the HIC of clinical audits, case studies
and practice visits that GPs have completed, so that the
HIC can calculate the total number of activities completed
by the GPs in a practice.
- The NPS will send activity statements to individual GPs three times/ year to advise them which activities they have completed.
- The HIC will send PIP statements to practices 4 times per year which will include how many QPI activities in total have been completed within the practice.
RECEIVING THE QPI:
Each activity is undertaken on an individual level and the
NPS will provide feedback to individual GPs. However the
QPI payment will only be made if the Practice meets a minimum
participation level set at an average of 3 activities per
FTE GP per year.
The FTE GP number is determined by the HIC, and will appear
on every PIP statement. However changes may occur (if GPs
decrease/ increase their hours, new GPs start in the practice,
etc.) The November PIP statement, provides the FTE number
that will be used to determine the number of activities
the practice must complete for that QPI year.
A QPI year runs from 1st May to the 30th April the following year, with the QPI payment made to a practice as part of their May PIP payment. This means that a practice must complete the required number of activities in this period of time. One clinical audit/ FTE GP is a compulsory activity. Other activities may be made up of any combination of clinical audits, case studies and educational visits. Payment is based on $1/ SWPE (Standardised whole patient equivalent) which equates to approximately $1000/year for the average GP.
Example
A practice with 3 FTE GPs would need to participate in at
least 9 activities between them, including 3 clinical audits.
Some GPs in the practice may undertake more or less activities,
so long as the practice as a whole averages 3 per FTE GP.
Examples of possible combinations of activities:
3 clinical audits + 3 case studies + 3 individual
educational visits OR
3 clinical audits + participation in 1 small
group case study (4 GPs) + 2 individual educational visits
OR
5 clinical audits (3 compulsory) + 2 case
studies + 2 individual educational visits
If your practice has an FTE that falls short of a rounded
number, the number is rounded down in order to calculate
your practice requirements for QPI.
ie 3.3 FTE GPs = 3 clinical audits + a combined total of
6 other activities
PRACTICE MANAGER'S ROLE
ACTIVITIES THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT
1. Ensure all GPs receive the Australian Prescriber. Attached
to this publication is the NPS News which includes case
studies. Be on the lookout for this in the mail and draw
the GPs attention to it when it arrives. Don’t assume
GPs already receive this. Double check, and if necessary,
use the contact details below to enrol.
2. Check the Practice’s PIP Statement (issued 1/4ly)
for your number of FTE GPs – be aware these can change.
The November statement will tell you the number of activities
required to be eligible for QPI points in the current QPI
year.
3. Each GP who completes an NPS activity will receive an
NPS Activity Statement three times a year. These should
be collected from the GP after they have checked that each
activity they completed is listed. Collectively these will
give you the total number of activities completed within
the Practice.
4. If your Practice has not met its activity quota by March,
contact your NPS Facilitator and other activities can be
organised.
5. Please ensure that each GP notifies the NPS of their
provider and prescriber numbers when sending in NPS clinical
audits and case studies and be certain that GPs are aware
of the closing dates for these activities to avoid wasted
time or missed dead lines. This is particularly important
for clinical audits. If your GPs are participating in a
clinical audit, remind them when the closing date is approaching.
NB. Review questions will be sent to GPs several months
after the audit has closed. They must be returned in order
for the audit to be included for QPI and RACGP points.