GPs should be able to opt out of the government’s Quality Improvement practice incentive for 12 months without losing their funding while privacy concerns are addressed, practice owners say.

The Quality Improvement Practice Incentive Program (QI PIP) began on 1 August, allowing practices to receive up to $12,500 in funding every three months for sending primary health networks de-identified patient information.

But the Australian GP Alliance (AGPA), which represents practice owners, is calling on GPs to refuse to use third-party data extraction software because of concerns patients could be identified.

It is encouraging members to write to networks and the Department of Health asking for a 12-month time extension.