If you are confused by the Allied Health treatment cycle, we are here to help explain the new process that has been introduced to help give you better care based on your health needs.
How does the treatment cycle work?
You can be referred by your usual GP to an allied health provider, if you have a clinical need for allied health treatment. Referrals can also be initially made by a specialist doctor or hospital discharge planner. Referral arrangements to specialist doctors (for medical treatment such as psychiatry or surgery) remain unchanged. Dental and optical services are not included as part of the treatment cycle arrangements, as referrals to these services are not required.
At the beginning of the treatment cycle, your allied health provider will prepare a Patient Care Plan and ask you about your health goals. At the end of the treatment cycle the allied health provider will send a report to your usual GP. The report outlines the treatment provided, the progress of the treatment towards meeting agreed goals and recommendations for further treatment, if required.
Your GP will use this report to review the progress of treatment and assess if further allied health treatment is clinically required, or whether other treatment options are needed. Your GP will provide you with a new referral to your allied health provider, if it is needed.
You will continue to have access to the care you need. You can have as many treatment cycles as your GP decides are clinically necessary.
You can have a separate treatment cycle for each allied health service you require. This includes having treatment cycles for different allied health services at the same time. For example, you may have services provided by a dietitian, exercise physiologist and physiotherapist at the same time.
Learn more about our DVA Rehabilitation and Fitness Services and how we can help.