Virtual primary care concept

[patslatt]

The government's plan to create primary care facilities to become the core of the health care system seems to largely aspiration rather than action as is typical of many government plans over the years.See Primary Care - Executive Summary The slow rollout of primary care may reflect lack of financial incentives for group practice, unwillingness of GPs to work in teams that provide a 24 x 7 service and over reliance on expensive A&E units for out of hours service.

The concept of virtual primary care could provide an alternative to primary care in lightly populated areas with good road systems and light traffic outside rush hour. With the use of software for primary care team scheduling,team members could be scheduled to work at various intervals in GP offices or called in to work within short periods when on call for emergencies. Of course,such an unconventional set up would be accepted reluctantly at first,just like working from home instead of the office.

[Aindriu]

The first line of any primary care system should be the GP. Only problem here is people have to pay to see a GP which defeats one of the main roles of primary care which is prevention!

[Monday Monday]

It is the age old Irish conundrum.

How do you do anything in the Medical (or Legal) sphere without a host of entitled vampire bats attaching themselves to it and sucking out the money until it dies.

[tipp revolution]

I dunno our community nurse is an absolute gem

[Ulster-Lad]

The first line of any primary care system should be the GP. Only problem here is people have to pay to see a GP which defeats one of the main roles of primary care which is prevention!

Are GPs going to work 24/7 ?

[patslatt]

Are GPs going to work 24/7 ?

If the incentive is there to charge extra for out of hours,yes.

[patslatt]

The first line of any primary care system should be the GP. Only problem here is people have to pay to see a GP which defeats one of the main roles of primary care which is prevention!

The government should get VHI and insurers to incentivise prevention with GPs. I have the impression that insurers will remain complacent about costs as long as they can charge their tolls on inflating costs so long as customers don't drop out in numbers large enough to shake them out of complacency.

[Ulster-Lad]

If the incentive is there to charge extra for out of hours,yes.

As far as I know there is a shortage of GPs now and Primary Care in rural Ireland leaves much to be desired to say the least. Most areas have out of hours service such as the NowDoc service in the Northwest so I do not see much if anything changing.

[Aindriu]

"The government should get VHI and insurers to incentivise prevention with GPs." WTF have insurers to do with this? Just stop patients having to pay to use GP services FFS!

[damus]

"The government should get VHI and insurers to incentivise prevention with GPs." WTF have insurers to do with this? Just stop patients having to pay to use GP services FFS!

Primary care that is free at the point of contact is ideal, but it won't end up being free if you get my drift. Either way, we'll end up coughing up the monies by virtue of increased taxes or increased PHI premiums.