Time and financial outcomes of private practice dietitians providing care under the Australian Medicare program: A longitudinal, exploratory study

Aim To better understand the income of dietitians delivering Medicare Chronic Disease Management services by comparing the amount of time dietitians spend on activities with remuneration received. Methods Data were collected on time invested and remuneration received for 179 consultations provided by 20 dietitians through the Medicare Chronic Disease Management initiative. Descriptive statistics and t‐tests were used to compare time spent and remuneration received. A mixed effects model was performed to assess the significant factors in predicting the mean hourly rate received for consultations. Results Consultations accrued an average of $67.32 ± $24.38 (range $0–$150) in remuneration, and required an average of 44 ± 20 minutes (range 14–136 minutes) including over 10 minutes of administration time. The average calculated gross rate of pay was $102.62/hour. Set‐fee consultations were longer than bulk‐billed consultations (51 minutes vs 39 minutes, P = 0.002), but resulted in greater remuneration ($83.20 vs $52.95, P < 0.001). Initial consultations resulted in greater remuneration than review consultations ($76.52 vs $60.75, P < 0.001). Dietitians without administration assistance spent more total time on consultations compared with dietitians with administration support (54 minutes vs 42 minutes, P = 0.001), but there was no difference in fees charged (P > 0.005). Conclusions The hourly income received by dietitians providing services under Medicare appears high; however, practice expenditures have not been considered in the present study. Dietitians should consider the logistical and financial outcomes of their practices in order to enhance financial sustainability.