Development of risk stratification tool 

Precedence Health Care, in partnership with CSIRO, has won the tender to develop and implement the risk stratification tool, which will be used by all 200 Health Care Homes.

The tender evaluation process was informed by health, technical and legal expertise, as well as advice from the patient identification working group.

The department is confident that Precedence Health Care’s proposal will result in an intuitive and secure risk stratification tool for providers, building on Precedence Health Care’s established cdmNet platform for chronic disease management.

The development of the risk stratification tool includes an approach to implement a predictive risk model (PRM) for Australia.

Predicting which patients are at higher risk of unplanned hospitalisation will help to target enrolment for Health Care Homes.

The PRM will be developed under an open source licence. In time, other software providers will be able to implement Health Care Home eligibility testing for patients without needing to pay royalties or licensing charges, subject to other conditions of use and any refinements that may arise during the stage one trial.

There is no obligation on participating Health Care Homes to use the full suite of cdmNet services.

ATO advice on the bundled payment

The bundled payment will be made directly to the general practice or ACCHS monthly on a pro-rata, retrospective basis.

The practice will be responsible for appropriately distributing the bundled payment within the general practice or ACCHS.

Based on four broad general practice business scenarios, including a sole trader, partnership, associateship and large corporate practice, the Australian Taxation Office has provided the department with general advice that implementation of the Health Care Home model would not necessarily change the existing relationship the doctor has with the medical practice, and the Health Care Home model will not, of itself, create an employer/employee relationship. For example, if a GP’s engagement with a practice is as an independent contractor, then their participation in the Health Care Home program could also be on that basis.

The business scenarios on which this advice is based are broad and do not reflect all of the business structures and arrangements operating in Australia. Participating general practices and ACCHS should seek advice in relation to their situation and individual circumstances.

Phased 2017 start to Health Care Homes services

Health Care Homes services will have a phased start this year. Twenty practices will begin Health Care Home services on 1 October 2017. These will be announced soon. The other 180 practices will begin on 1 December 2017. To see the list of the 200 selected Health Care Homes practices, go to the successful grant recipients’ section on the Tenders and Grants page.

Check out our Health Care Home resources

For FAQs, fact sheets, case studies and e-newsletters, go to Health Care Homes’ health professionals’ page then scroll down to more information e-newsletters, fact sheets and booklets

This page is frequently updated and includes:

• Health Care Homes information booklet
• Minimum requirements of shared care plans fact sheet
• Payment information fact sheet
• Patient eligibility fact sheet
• Stage one modelling fact sheet 
• Health Care Homes and the quadruple aim
• Case studies: Best practice examples of chronic disease management
• E-newsletters — you can also subscribe to and see the latest Health Care Homes e-newsletters on the more information page.

Information for consumers and patients is available on the Health Care Homes for consumers’ page.

Information for health professionals is available on the Health Care Homes for health professionals page