National Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Program
In April 2007, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a cost shared package of over $200 million to address the significant growth in type 2 diabetes. The Australian Government announced that its major contribution to this measure will focus on people in the 40-49 year old age group with the objective of reducing or delaying their progression to type 2 diabetes.
Under this initiative, a new Medicare Type 2 Diabetes Risk Evaluation (Medicare Item 713) was introduced from 1 July 2008. This will allow General Practitioners (GPs) to evaluate patients in the 40-49 year old age group at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as determined by the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool, and provide risk modification advice for eligible patients. Where appropriate, eligible patients may also be referred by their GP to attend a subsidised accredited lifestyle modification program (LMP) aimed at reducing the risk or delaying the progression to type 2 diabetes.
Patients may also be referred to a subsidised accredited LMP by their GP through the Age 45 Year Old Health Check (Medicare Item 717) or the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adult Health Check (Medicare Item 710). Completion of the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool is mandatory for all patients accessing the program through these Medicare items.
It is estimated that 136,000 eligible Australians will participate in an LMP over three years.
Program Aims
Type 2 diabetes is a largely preventable chronic disease that is becoming increasingly common in Australia. If undetected or poorly controlled, type 2 diabetes can result in acute and long term complications. Clinical trials have provided strong evidence that progression to type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with lifestyle modification.
The purpose of Medicare Item 713 is to support general practitioners to address the health needs of patients 40 to 49 years of age who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Factors identified in the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool, as contributing to a ‘high risk’ will be reviewed to instigate early interventions such as lifestyle modification programs to assist with the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool
The Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK) has been developed by the International Diabetes Institute (IDI) and is based on the Finnish ‘risk test’ but has been adapted for the Australian clinical setting using AUSDIAB data. It has been developed to provide a basis for both health professionals and health consumers to assess the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over a 5 year period. It consists of a short list of questions that, when completed, provide a guide to a patient’s current level of risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The item scores and risk rating calculations in the tool have been developed using demographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biomedical data from the 2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle baseline survey and the AusDiab 2005 follow-up study.
The completion of the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool and a high score result will be mandatory for the patient to access Medicare Item 713. It may be completed by either the patient or with the assistance of a health professional or practice staff.
Further information and a copy of the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool can be accessed at http://www.health.gov.au/epc
LMP Programs for sale to NSW Divisions
Riverina and Sutherland Divisions have offered their programs at a one off cost of $500 to other NSW Divisions. If a Division chooses to purchase the either Division program they will receive the following:
- Facilitators manual
- Participant manual
- Accreditation forms (already completed)
- Telephone support on implementation issues (clarification on aspects of the model or how divisions might fit existing resources into the model)
GP NSW encourages Divisions who require an LMP program or a facilitator to consider purchasing one of the NSW Divisions programs.
For more information contact the GP NSW Chronic Disease Team
Tanja McLeish (Team Leader) tanjamcleish@gpnsw.com.au
Jerry Bacich jerrybacich@gpnsw.com.au
Wendy Campbell wendycampbell@gpnsw.com.au
Alex Swain alexswain@gpnsw.com.au