NOTE: By submitting this form and registering with us, you are providing us with permission to store your personal data and the record of your registration. In addition, registration with the Medical Independent includes granting consent for the delivery of that additional professional content and targeted ads, and the cookies required to deliver same. View our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice for further details.



Don't have an account? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

VHI moving into direct provision of GP care

By NiGP - 01st Jan 2024

VHI-GP-care



January-February 2024 | Issue 2 | Vol 17

Ireland’s largest healthcare insurer is in discussions with The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) about increasing the type of GP services for which it provides coverage, as well as launching direct primary care provision.

Ms Anne O’Connor, Managing Director at Vhi Health and Wellbeing, said it is in talks with the ICGP about developing a chronic disease management pathway in primary care. The pathway for its members would be like the HSE programmes in place for medical card/GP visit card patients. She added that Vhi wanted to work with GPs and not “replace” them, stressing that “we’re really not in the business of competing” with GPs.

“We’re really trying to get into the nuts and bolts of primary care, but do it in a way that adds value, not actually strip anything away from anyone.”

The ICGP said it has had “some very early discussions on this matter” which will continue into 2024. Vhi is also trialling provision of in-person GP services in addition to the online and phone GP and nurse services already provided.

This is initially being piloted on a small scale for some corporate members that have recruited short- and medium-term staff who are unable to access GP and primary care services locally. It will operate in the same manner as the existing reimbursement model.

“The feedback from some of our corporate members is that their staff can’t get GPs and in particular we have a lot of tech companies bringing people in without access to a GP,” Ms O’Connor said. After a trial period, the potential of introducing such services for the company’s wider membership will be assessed.

“We [also] have many people presenting to our urgent care clinics because they cannot access the GP. And we are now at a point where we are having to look at that,” Ms O’Connor added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Latest VHI

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Issue
medical independent 24th september
Medical Independent 24th September 2024

You need to be logged in to access this content. Please login or sign up using the links below.

ADVERTISEMENT

Trending Articles

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT