Call for domestic violence-specific Medicare items misguided: RACGP
A standalone item would allow survivors to be traced, the college says.
A coroner’s call for standalone domestic violence Medicare items represents the wrong approach for patients and could create privacy risks, the RACGP says.
Victorian coroner Paul Lawrie made the recommendation after investigating the death of 75-year-old Loris O’Meara, who died of renal failure and ketoacidosis while being cared for by her emotionally and physically abusive husband.
He found Ms O’Meara’s GP did not alert authorities or refer her to support services, which inhibited care for her chronic alcoholism and type 2 diabetes.
He said a Medicare item focused on domestic violence would “support the identification and management of family violence by GPs”.
