Dr Prashanth Reddy on how to win at financial roulette . |
The Examiner . |
financial lifeline , especially as many of the residents were retired and pensioners .
“ It eased the burden , and I felt it was good enough for me financially to run the clinic , mainly
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bulk-billing .” |
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Carmel Sparke AT a time when universal bulk-bill- |
There are exceptions . He only bulk-bills patients from the commu- |
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ing is financial roulette , one GP says |
nity . Those coming from outside will |
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he has found a way to build a thriving |
usually be mixed billed , he said . |
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practice while providing free medical |
So , what brought him to the |
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care to everyone in his community . |
town ? |
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Dr Prashanth Reddy Gangapuram |
Dr Reddy said he and his dad had |
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made the commitment in response |
scoped out the practice and town in |
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to the support the town of Beaconsfield , Tasmania , gave him since his arrival 18 months ago .
“ The community has given me
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Dr Prashanth Reddy outside his medical practice . |
late 2022 and discovered an Indian restaurant . They had popped in for a meal and a chat with the owner .
“ My father said , ‘ My son is plan-
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love , care and support from day one . |
ning to take over this clinic . What do |
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That inspired and motivated me |
One practice closed in 2022 , and |
acknowledged there were financial |
seeing me and understanding my |
you think about his decision ?’” Dr |
more ,” the GP , known as Dr Reddy , |
the remaining solo GP , Dr Anthony |
difficulties . |
vision — which was a similar vision |
Reddy recalled . |
told Australian Doctor . |
Lyall , was about to retire , leaving |
“ Dr Lyall was a great vacuum for |
to his own — he stayed with me for 12 |
“ The owner said , even though the |
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He originally arrived in Australia from India with his wife , Dr Sandhya Reddy , in 2018 .
Over the next four years , the couple trained in Melbourne , Perth and Hervey Bay in Queensland while bringing up two children , now aged
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some 6000 people without easy access to GP care .
But Dr Reddy bought the practice with the vision of expanding services , getting pathology in-house and bulk-billing as many patients as possible , believing in affordable
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‘ The community has given me love , care and support from day one .’ |
months , helping me to gain the trust of the community .”
Within six months , he had brought on four full-time GPs , along with allied health and pathology , which he said allowed him to make more effective use of his practice
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town was known as a historic goldmining town , it should be known for its gold-hearted people .
“ Then he said , ‘ The community will back your son .’” And that proved true . “ From day one , I felt that ,” Dr
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one and five . |
healthcare for all . |
nurses . |
Reddy said . |
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By the time he came to the town , |
As well as the challenge of filling |
me to fill ,” Dr Reddy said . |
The Federal Government ’ s deci- |
“ I feel as though all of this |
it was set to become another statistic |
the large shoes of a GP who had been |
“ Initially , he was planning to |
sion to triple the bulk-billing incen- |
has come about because of the |
of shrinking rural medical services . |
with the community for 30 years , he |
retire in a couple of weeks , but |
tive payments last year was a |
community .” |