An internationally renowned health service provider engaged us to assess the viability of establishing a network of nurse-led urgent care clinics, potentially supported by GPs and Fellows of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (FACEM). The vision was to deliver high-quality care for minor injuries and illnesses – particularly after hours and on weekends – without patients incurring out-of-pocket costs.
Our brief was to analyse all viable funding pathways, including Medicare, private health insurance, and government grants, to support the proposed model. We conducted a comprehensive review and delivered a detailed report outlining:
- All relevant Medicare rebates and how they could apply in a nurse- and GP-supported urgent care setting
- Opportunities to leverage a private short-stay hospital licence to access private insurance funding
- Blended funding models combining public and private sources
- After-hours billing options aligned with the Commonwealth Government’s then-forthcoming Urgent Care Clinics policy
We also presented a range of alternative models – both well-established and innovative – that could further reduce cost burdens for consumers while maintaining clinical safety and financial sustainability.