General Information about the RAd Trial
NB this trial will be completed in early 2026
What are health assessments?
Regular health checks are important for young people’s mental, physical and emotional well-being. GPs and nurses want to deliver these health checks, but barriers such as lack of consultation time and inadequate reimbursement can make this difficult.
What is RAd Health
This National Health and Medical Research Council funded study* investigates if a Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) rebate to fund a longer young person’s specific health consultation and allowing a nurse to assist, will increase the detection and management of risk behaviours and health conditions in young people.
RAd Health is a randomised controlled trial testing this intervention (i.e. a rebated health check where GPs and nurses are paid adequately for their time) and will evaluate if the intervention provides benefits for young people’s health now and into the future, and for the next generation of children. The RAd Health trial will also help establish whether a rebate payment: i) improves health outcomes, and is ii) is cost-effective.
The RAd Health trial recognises the frustration that many GPs and nurses feel about limited resources further complicating their ability to offer health checks to this age group. All participating clinics are paid $1800 (in three instalments) and clinics randomised to the Intervention are able to access a rebate payment for each young person’s health check performed (one rebate per one young person in a 12 month period).
What’s happening now with the trial?
The RAd Health trial is nearly complete. As we are winding up, we aim to visit all enrolled practices to deliver a gift as an expression of our appreciation for practice involvement. We are also asking all enrolled clinics to complete exit surveys (PM and GPs) before receiving the final $600 honorarium payment.
We will also be giving you the option to continue your contribution to research in general practice by signing up for Data for Decisions.
Thank you to all of our clinics for your hard work over the past two years.
*NHMRC APP 1184842