Financing and the quality framework.

BACKGROUND: Using a quality framework can assist in the design of payment arrangements to ensure that the optimal effects of health funding are achieved. OBJECTIVE: This article examines the finance domain of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Quality Framework for Australian General Practice. DISCUSSION: The quality of the care general practitioners and their teams provide is affected by the way the GPs and team members are paid, both within the practice and through programs such as the Medicare Benefits Schedule. These payment arrangements do not always promote high quality and can have unintended negative consequences.