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Castle Medical
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UncategorizedbyDP@CastleMedical

Reward programs in medical centres can and do present ethical concerns.

Firstly, do you know what you are signing up for?

News media has recently explored a story about a chain of medical centres in NSW, QLD, and VIC that has recently changed their policy. The medical centres will only bulk-bill if patients sign up for their app and rewards program; otherwise, there will be a $90 out-of-pocket fee.

Let’s start from the very beginning…

What is a rewards program?

The purpose of a rewards program is to incentivise and foster customer loyalty and engagement with a business or brand. A loyalty program encourages customers to return, spend more, and interact further with the brand.

This results in higher customer retention, word-of-mouth promotion, and the gathering of valuable data. Additionally, such programs establish an emotional bond, offer a competitive advantage, and enable customised marketing strategies, ultimately boosting customer satisfaction and brand success.

Why do rewards programs in the healthcare industry present ethical concerns?

As a business, we clearly understand the benefits of a rewards program from both a business perspective and a customer standpoint. However, due to the nature of the business that we are in, it raises ethical questions.

Here are some of the reasons why:

  • Quality of care: Your healthcare providers might be encouraged to prioritise profit over patient well-being.
  • Patient Autonomy: The rewards program could impel you to make medical decisions based on incentives rather than your own health needs and preferences.
  • Professional integrity: Healthcare providers are bound by ethical codes to give precedence to patient health and well-being. As such, a rewards program could result in a conflict of interest where the monetary rewards conflict with medical assessment.
  • Equity and access: Rewards programs could potentially discriminate in favour of specific patients. This could potentially worsen any inequalities in healthcare. Those who lack the means to afford certain medical interventions and hesitate to join the program due to data privacy concerns might miss out on certain healthcare benefits.
  • Doctor-patient relationship: Incorporating rewards programs could change the dynamic between doctors and patients. The introduction of financial incentives can tarnish trust and create opportunities for potential misuse.
  • Confidentiality and Privacy: Patient data collection raises privacy concerns. The information could be shared or exploited for marketing purposes without proper consent or security parameters.
  • Diversion from fundamental principles: Healthcare is fundamentally about patient health, and the introduction of incentives might divert attention from this core value, resulting in compromised patient care.

Will Castle Medical be implementing a rewards program?

Here’s the good news. You will not need to sign up for a rewards program to receive the health care you deserve.

We are committed to upholding ethical values in all aspects of our operations.

At Castle Medical, we offer:

  • Patient-centered care: We prioritise patients’ individual needs and well-being, including their preferences, values, and concerns in all medical decisions and treatment plans. We ensure that you receive personalised, considerate, and effective medical treatments.
  • Transparency: We provide clear and honest information about medical conditions, treatment options, costs, and potential risks so that you can make informed decisions about your health.
  • Informed consent: We ensure that you understand and agree to all aspects of your care, including risks and benefits before proceeding with any treatment or procedure.
  • Confidentiality and privacy: We protect patient information and maintain strict confidentiality to secure your privacy and trust.
  • Evidence-based practice: We utilise Clinimetrix – a practice intelligence software that helps GPs provide tailored medical solutions aimed at improving your quality of life and accelerating your recovery.
  • Prevent Conflicts of Interest: We aim to give precedence to the health of our patients above any financial benefit or personal interests and make clinical decisions based entirely on medical requirements.
  • Fairness and Absence of Bias: We treat all patients with respect, regardless of their origin, race, gender, or other personal attributes and beliefs.
  • Professionalism: We maintain professional levels of behaviour, honesty, and ethical conduct in every interaction involving patients, staff, and colleagues.
  • Open communication: We encourage honest and open conversations between you and your healthcare provider, cultivating trust and co-operation throughout the decision-making process.
  • Accountability and responsibility: Our medical centres take responsibility for medical decisions, outcomes, and mistakes, and addresses any concerns or errors in a transparent and responsible manner.

At Castle Medical, our commitment to fairness, responsibility, and ongoing enhancement is paramount. Our goal is to establish our medical centres as a trusted healthcare provider that prioritises ethical principles in every facet of our work.

Castle Medical
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UncategorizedbyDP@CastleMedical

MyMedicare – what is it and why should I register?

The Government has introduced voluntary patient registration to start on 1 October 2023.

MyMedicare aims to strengthen ties between patients, their general practitioner, primary care teams and their general practice.

Why is this important?

We know that health outcomes are better where there is a good relationship between patient and doctor with ongoing continuity of care.

This is particularly important for children, for people with long-term conditions including challenges with mental health, and for older people.

The LUMOS study in NSW in 2022 showed that, compared to 470 general practices, only half as many Castle Hill Medical Centre* patients attended Accident and Emergency departments or required hospital admission. Results for people with long-term conditions were also similarly excellent. The mortality of people over the age of 65 was half compared to other practices.

These results are a testimony to the effort we place in to delivering high-quality clinical care to all patients but especially those at high risk. The MyMedicare program is designed to further enhance these results.

MyMedicare for patients and families

The detail has yet to be finalised but there will be an expanded range of services such as extended telehealth consultations.

What do I need to do?

From October 2023, you can register at Castle Medical Centre or online. When the government has worked out the details, we will let you know.

If I register with Castle Medical, will I be able to go to other practices if I choose to? Yes – you are able to attend any practice should you wish to but the benefits under MyMedicare will only be available at Castle Medical.

Castle Medical Centre will continue to deliver the best quality health care as it has done for the past 34 years. By registering, you show that you appreciate the care that you have had and will continue to receive with the added benefits of MyMedicare.

*Note: Castle Hill Medical Centre is part of Castle Medical Holdings.

Castle Medical
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UncategorizedbyDP@CastleMedical

Do you know $61.8 million is spent each year on workplace injuries in Australia?

It is essential to understand the importance of pre-employment medicals and how they contribute to the well-being and productivity not only of your employees, but your business.

You may have a candidate in mind for a role in your company. You have read their resume, checked their references, and have had one or maybe even two interviews. But have you considered a pre-employment medical to see if they are the right fit and can physically complete the required tasks?

Your new apprentice electrician could be colour-blind. Does the office worker you want to hire have high blood pressure which requires managing? Perhaps your new storeman has a history of back problems of which you are not aware.

Don’t be part of the statistics, adding to the ongoing costs to your business due to injuries that may have been preventable.

Pre-employment medicals assess whether the candidate is the right fit for the role to ensure the correct work environment from the start.

Invest in the financial health of your business with pre-employment medicals.

Workplace injuries cost Australian businesses $61.8 million each year. Also, between 2003 to 2011, the state with the highest number of injuries by location is NSW followed by Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA and NT, according to Safe Work Australia.

Occupations with the leading number of claims between 2011-2020 are:

  • Labourers
  • Technicians and Trade Workers
  • Community and Personal Service Workers
  • Machinery Operators and Drivers
  • Professionals
  • Sales workers

Industries with highest number of claims are:

  • Health Care and Social Assistance
  • Manufacturing
  • Construction
  • Transport, Postal and Warehousing
  • Public Administration and Safety
  • Retail Trade

Every on-site injury causes lost time and insurance premiums to increase, adding to the ongoing costs of doing business.

The actual cost of workplace injuries is not limited to the expense of wage replacement, medical and insurance fees. The indirect costs of workplace injuries include workplace disruption, lost productivity, management time, liability issues, increased injury risk and damaged reputation.

In onboarding your new employees, we offer a range of workplace health services from standard to comprehensive pre-employment medicals, musculoskeletal assessments, audiograms, spirometry screening and instant drug and alcohol testing.

We are here to support your business and staff well after you have onboarded the right candidates.

In today’s dynamic corporate world, maintaining the health and wellbeing of employees is essential for businesses to thrive.

Vaccination Programs

Maintaining a healthy workforce often involves protecting your employees from preventable illnesses with immunisation against infectious diseases to help safeguard their wellbeing.

Our medical centres offer vaccination programs such as Hepatitis, Q fever, travel vaccinations and influenza to both new and existing employees tailored to the specific needs of their role. We also offer onsite influenza vaccinations at your workplace (seasonal).

These vaccination programs help businesses significantly reduce absenteeism due to illnesses and create a safer work environment.

Mental Health and Staff Wellness Workshops (Castle Medical Only)

¹Research shows that absence rates are about five percent higher among workers who report being in poor mental health. In addition, job conditions are related to both presenteeism and absenteeism even after accounting for workers’ self-reported mental health status.

Mental illness is now the leading cause of sickness, absence, and long-term work incapacity in Australia. Each year, $543 million is paid in workers’ compensation for work-related mental health conditions, according to Safe Work Australia².

We recognise the importance of education and empowerment when it comes to employee health and wellbeing. Therefore, at Castle Medical, we have mental health experts who conduct interactive health and wellness workshops that cover a range of topics from stress management to mental health awareness.

The future of work is employee wellbeing. These workshops help create a productive and healthy workplace which increases employment engagement and motivation to reach goals.
These workshops can be conducted either on-site or virtually.
Workplace Health Services are available at CM Marsden Park and CHMC The Mall.
Services available at CHMC The Mall only:

  • Rail assessments – Category 1, 2 & 3
  • Executive Health Assessments

To speak with our friendly workplace health services team, please email workplacehealth@chmc.com.au or call (02) 8865 0633.