Finding patients in general practice who live in residential aged care homes using Pen CAT

The Australian Government’s General Practice in Aged Care Incentive supports older people living in residential aged care. It helps them receive quality primary care services from their regular provider and practice. The incentive came into effect on 1 August 2024.

Eligible GPs and practices will receive incentive payments for providing services to each of their MyMedicare-registered patients in a residential aged care home rather than at their practice.

This Pen CAT recipe shows how to identify eligible patients in a general practice’s patient population, so they can be registered for MyMedicare.

How to use this Pen CAT recipe

  • Follow these steps to create a filter

    1. Open CAT, load CAT4 view (all reports).

    2. Load latest Population extract and ensure extract pane is hidden.

    3. Click the dropdown arrow next to Filter.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

    4. Select Active (3x in 2 years) patients in the General filter tab.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

    5. Select MBS attendance and then select the RACF category.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

    6. Now click Recalculate to apply the filter.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

    7. To view all patients, click on the View Population icon.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

    8. This will show a report with all patients meeting the criteria. The last two columns will show their most recent visit and their assigned provider.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

    9. From this report you can export the patient list to Microsoft Excel or another program by clicking on the disk icon and choosing your preferred file format.

    Screenshot of Pen CAT software.

  • Register patients for MyMedicare

    1. Now you have identified the list of residents who need to be registered for MyMedicare, you can check which residents are already registered (using PRODA or your practice software), then follow up with those who aren’t yet registered using your preferred method.It’s a good idea to provide the residential aged care home with hard copies of the MyMedicare registration form for residents who can’t register online.For patients who are unable to provide consent for registration, their next of kin will need to be contacted. The residential aged care team should be able to follow up and get the forms signed on behalf of the resident.
    2. North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (WNMPHN) is assisting residential aged care homes to register patients for MyMedicare. Please contact your quality improvement program officer to arrange this on
      (03) 9347 1188 or email primarycare@nwmphn.org.au
    3. If you would like NWMPHN to assist your practice with this recipe or you have any other queries, please contact contact us on the details above.