Acute health

Page content: Rural hospital funding | Improved maternity services | Rural Enhancement Package | Rural Health Services - WIES conversion

Rural Hospital Funding Policy Development

A range of projects focusing on funding policy for rural and regional health services will be conducted from 2003-04 to 2005-06. These projects are in addition to the small rural health services project and are consistent with departmental policies aiming to streamline and enhance funding and accountability processes. Two key projects are outlined below.

Hospital Grouping Methods

Currently, a rural or regional hospital may be funded for WIES at any one of seven different rates, depending on its ‘Group’ designation or the target output delivered. During the period 2003-04 to 2005-06, the method by which hospitals are grouped for the purposes of funding will be reviewed.

Purpose-specific Grants

In the 2003-04 financial year, a number of acute health purpose-specific grants (also known as specified grants) will be analysed to ensure that they reflect current policy and service delivery priorities. These include:

• the Rural/Isolated Grant
• the Rural Specialty Services Grant
• a range of specified grants that contribute to the provision of services for non-admitted patients.

Improved Maternity Services in Rural Victoria - $4.0 million over four years.

Funds are being provided, through the Rural Maternity Initiative, to support rural services build collaborative models of care between obstetricians, general practitioners and midwives. There will be an increased emphasis on continuity of care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.

Several agencies are currently working with DHS to introduce collaborative models including:

• Portland Hospital
• West Gippsland Healthcare Group (Warragul)
• Northwest Health (Wangaratta)

Rural Enhancement Package

The Rural Enhancement Package (REP) Grant is provided to approved health services to support Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) who participate in a dedicated 24 hour on-call roster for emergency presentations.

The REP Grant increased from $26,601 in 2006-07 to $63,401 in 2007-08 with a daily on-call rate of:

• $150 per weekday
• $200 per weekend day, and
• $250 per public holiday.

REP Guidelines have been developed in 2007-08 to provide information to health services and VMOs about payment arrangements.

Guidelines for the Rural Enhancement Package Grant (REP) (38kb, pdf)

Rural Health Services - WIES conversion

The Rural WIES Conversion Guidelines have been developed to provide information about the process for having WIES conversion proposals considered by the Department of Human Services in 2008/9.

Rural WIES conversion guidelines (2008/9) (33kb, pdf)

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