THE two Tristar medical clinics in Albury-Wodonga have survived a complete restructure of its business which has impacted on contracted doctors locally.
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"Tristar Medical Group and our GP contractors have not escaped the significant impact the ongoing Medicare freeze, changes in supervision and government regulations that continue to impact doctors from establishing and building financially viable practices in regional and rural communities," Tristar clinical services director Anne Gardner said.
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"As a consequence Tristar has gone through an intense period whereby our business has been directly challenged, this has led to windows of financial and workforce capacity strain.
"Tristar are facing significant challenges as we remain committed to our regional services.
"We have had to undergo a complete restructure that has seen us close services in multiple small regional communities."
The Medicare freeze was lifted in the latest federal budget, but Tristar has also been impacted by tighter restrictions designed to improve the supervision of international medical graduates.
But the government confirmed from July 1 this year a new Workforce Incentive Program will streamline existing GP, nursing and allied health incentive programs, replacing the General Practice Rural Incentive Program and the Practice Nurse Incentive Program.
Ms Gardner confirmed the restructure would enable continued support for bulk billed medical services to the Wodonga and West Albury.
"I can confirm that despite the significant financial strain Tristar GP service provision is under, the current GP contractors have received all monies owed," she said.
Two more GPs in Wodonga and another GP in West Albury start in coming months.
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