Practice Catalyst
Practice Catalyst is an online self-assessment and improvement tool that helps general practices understand their current strengths and identify opportunities for growth.
The tool uses survey questions, augmented by examples, that cover a comprehensive range of practice operations.
Practice Catalyst was designed by Australian health care consultants Rebbeck, and has been customised by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) for local general practice use.
Completion of the Practice Catalyst tool by a practice is voluntary and is free to practices within the NWMPHN catchment.
What does Practice Catalyst measure?
Practice Catalyst is not an audit or compliance tool. It is a starting point for reflection, learning and action.
It is designed for use by practice owners, principals or practice managers.
The tool considers practice maturity over five domains:
- Practice foundations – operational sustainably and adaptability
- Practice management – governance, leadership, and administrative efficiency
- Clinical operations – clinical workflows
- Patient care – patient-centred approaches, accessibility and safety
- Community connection – engagement with local health networks and population health initiatives.
Practice Catalyst draws on extensive national and international evidence of what makes general practice effective, sustainable, and patient-centred. Internationally, it reflects models of high-performing primary care that emphasise leadership, teamwork, data-driven improvement, and system integration. Nationally, it aligns with the RACGP Standards for General Practices (5th Edition), PHN quality improvement frameworks, and Australian studies on sustainability, access, equity, and outcomes. This evidence base was complemented by insights from national PHN practice support programs. For more detail, please see the Practice Catalyst Guidance (.pdf).
What are the benefits for practices to complete Practice Catalyst?
Within two business days of completing the survey, the practice receives a tailored action plan. This provides practical resources to support it in areas across the five domains that may have been identified for improvement.
Responses across these areas present an overall view of strengths and development needs, providing insight into the maturity of practice. Each element assessed within the program results in a score, providing instant insight into areas of operation that are going well and others that might need improvement.
An indication of sustainability is generated across four sub-domains – workforce, financial, infrastructure and access and continuity. It is designed help practices understand operational risks. It is important to note that this indicator is not designed to be a prediction or diagnosis. Instead, it’s a guide to help highlight areas that may need additional support or further exploration.
Following the end of the survey period practices will receive their maturity score benchmarked against the NWMPHN average, as well as an indication of sustainability.
For more detail, please see the Practice Catalyst Guidance (.pdf), prepared for NWMPHN by Rebbeck.
