Considerations

Before you commence entering setup details, take time to plan and consider your needs. There is an opportunity here for improvement and changes in workflow.

•  What Appointment Types do you want to use?
•  What Appointment Statuses?
•  Do you have the Provider Schedules on hand?
•  Are you ready for Medicare Online?

There is an Excel spreadsheet called 'Setup Details' under Links and Resources that will assist you.

Prerequisites

•  Software is installed and configured
•  Registered for Medicare
•  You have your PKI Site/Location Certificate
•  Remittance Requirements to include BPay
•  Sign off on Transaction Layouts
•  Plan and Prepare

Menu below for each part of preparation of a Private Practice

• Aged Care
• Allied Health
• Anaesthetics
• Assistant in Surgery
• Billing Agent
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Entity Categories
• General Practice
• Medical Services
• Medico Legal
• Oncology
• Pathology
• Physicians

Articles Digital Health Integrations (zendesk.com), Medicare Australia Online and Bupa Practice ID (zendesk.com) and Install and Configure - Technical (zendesk.com) are necessary with preparation and setting up, take the time to ready through.

Aged Care

A range of different options relating to Aged Care are available in Australia. Government funded care options are available to those who meet criteria, or there are private options available, among these options are long term or respite care Types of aged care | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

 

Allied Health

What is Allied Health?

Australia has more than 200,000 allied health professionals, who work alongside doctors and nurses to provide optimum health care for all Australians.
Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) is the national voice of allied health in Australia. Allied health services are generally not covered by Medicare, exceptions are for patients with chronic health conditions or have complex care needs and may be eligible for Medicare rebates on some treatments within a care plan. Some centres offer low-cost services however, waiting lists are usually long for an appointment. Private Health Funds may also cover some services, there are often limits on how many visits can be claimed in a year.

Some of the most common members of AHPA include:

• audiologists
• chiropractors
• diabetes educators
• dietitians
• exercise physiologists
• genetic counsellors
• myotherapists
• music and play therapists
• orthoptists
• orthotists and prosthetists
• osteopaths
• pharmacists
• physiotherapists
• podiatrists
• psychologists
• radiographer (or medical imaging technician)
• social workers
• sonographers
• speech pathologists

Anaesthestics

Australian Society of Anaesthetists (asa.org.au)

All about anaesthesia - ASA

Terminology

Anaesthesia	Anaesthesia is a word derived from the Greek, meaning 'without sensation'. Anaesthesia may be applied to the whole body, when it is known as general anaesthesia, or to part of the body, when it is known as regional or local anaesthesia. All of these techniques involve giving specific drugs that interfere with the transmission of nervous impulses so as to reduce sensation. ‘Anaesthetic’ is the term applied to some or all of the drugs used to produce anaesthesia and is also used to describe the whole process. For example, one might say, ‘Mary had a general anaesthetic'.
ASA Grading	The Australian Society of Anaesthetists Grade Patients Physical Status as follows: ASA Grade 1 – A normal healthy patient ASA Grade 2 – A patient with mild systemic disease ASA Grade 3 – A patient with sever systemic disease - 25000 ASA Grade 4 – A patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life - 25005 ASA Grade 5 – A moribund (near death) patient who is not expected to survive without the operation - 25010 ASA Grade 6 – A declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes.
Modifier	Modifiers recognise added complexities associated with the patient’s age, physical status or the requirement for emergency surgery. Modifiers are also calculated based on the Unit Dollar value.
Perfusion	Perfusion is the process by which a patient's blood is passed through machines and artificially pumped back into body tissues during surgeries when the heart or other body organs are not functioning. Perfusionists are medical professionals specifically trained to assist during open heart surgeries. They are responsible for operating and monitoring the heart-lung machines used to oxygenate and return a patient's blood during the surgical procedure and must be proficient in chemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology and electronics. Perfusion procedures are commonly used during organ transplant surgeries and in patients suffering heart attacks or heart failure, smoker's lung or coronary artery disease.
RVG	Relative Value Guide for Anaesthetics. The RVG groups anaesthesia services within anatomical regions. The RVG is based on an anaesthesia Unit System reflecting the complexity of the service and the total time taken for the service.
Unit	A unit is a Dollar value associated to Time. The number of time units is calculated from the total time of the anaesthesia service. For up to and including the first 2 hours of time, each 15 minutes (or part thereof) constitutes 1 time unit. For time beyond 2 hours, each time unit equates to 10 minutes (or part thereof).

 

 

Anaesthetic Services are under Therapeutic Procedures Category 3 of the Medical Benefits Schedule … 17610 to 25025

Group T6 - Subgroup 1 – Anaesthesia Consultations – 17610 to 17690

Group T7 – Regional or Field Nerve Blocks – 18213 to 18298

Group T11 – Botulinum Toxin Injections – 18350 to 18373

Group T10 – Relative Value Guide for Anaesthesia

• Subgroup 1 – Head – 20100 to 20230
• Subgroup 2 – Neck – 20300 to 20355
• Subgroup 3 – Thorax – 20400 to 20475
• Subgroup 4 – Intrathoracic – 20500 to 20560
• Subgroup 5 – Spine and Spinal Cord – 20600 to 20690
• Subgroup 6 – Upper Abdomen – 20700 to 20799
• Subgroup 7 – Lower Abdomen – 20800 to 20886
• Subgroup 8 – Perineum – 20900 to 20960
• Subgroup 9 – Pelvis (except Hip) – 21100 to 21170
• Subgroup 10 – Upper Leg (except Knee) – 21195 to 21280
• Subgroup 11 – Knee and Popliteal Area – 21300 to 21445
• Subgroup 12 – Lower Leg (below Knee) – 21460 to 21535
• Subgroup 13 – Shoulder and Axilla – 21600 to 21685
• Subgroup 14 – Upper Arm and Elbow – 21700 to 21790
• Subgroup 15 – Forearm Wrist and Hand – 21800 to 21872
• Subgroup 16 – Anaesthesia for Burns – 21878 to 21887
• Subgroup 17 – Anaesthesia for Radiological or other Diagnostic or Therapeutic Procedures – 21900 to 21981
• Subgroup 18 – Miscellaneous – 21990 to 21997
• Subgroup 19 – Therapeutic and Diagnostic Services – 22001 to 22075
• Subgroup 20 – Administration of Anaesthesia in connection with a Dental Service – 22900 to 22905
• Subgroup 21 – Anaesthesia/Perfusion Time Units – 23010 to 24136
• Subgroup 22 – Anaesthesia/Perfusion Modifying Units – Physical Status – 25000 to 25010
• Subgroup 23 – Anaesthesia/Perfusion Modifying Units – Other – 25015 and 25020
• Subgroup 24 – Anaesthesia After Hours Emergency Modifier – 25025 and 25030
• Subgroup 25 – Perfusion After Hours Emergency Modifier – 25050
• Subgroup 26 – Assistance at Anaesthesia – 25200 and 25205

 

Example of an Invoice for Anaesthesia for a person less than 12 months or 70 years or greater in age having an Endoscopy lasting up to 30 minutes where the Unit Value is the AMA Rate of $70.

 

 DCM for Anaesthetic Scheduling and Billing accommodates all the billing rules for Anaesthetic Billing and Pain Medicine.

Assistant in Surgery

About Assistant Billing

Assistance at Operations - (Items 51300 to 51318)

Items covering operations which are eligible for benefits for surgical assistance have been identified by the inclusion of the word 'Assist' in the item description. Medicare benefits are not payable for surgical assistance associated with procedures which have not been so identified.

The assistance must be rendered by a medical practitioner other than the surgeon, the anaestheist or the assistant anaesthetist. if the surgical assistant is not medically trained (non-medical surgical assistant i.e., nurse), patients must pay for the surgical assisant out of their own pocket.
Where more than one practitioner provides assistance to a surgeon no additional benefits are payable. The assistance benefit payable is the same irrespective of the number of practitioners providing surgical assistance.

NOTE: The Benefit in respect of assistance at an operation is not payable unless the assistance is rendered by a medical practitioner other than the anaesthetist or assistant anaesthetist. The amount specified is the amount payable whether the assistance is rendered by one or more medical practitioners.

Assistance at Multiple Operations

Where surgical assistance is provided at two or more operations performed on a patient on the one occasion the multiple operation formula is applied to all the operations to determine the surgeon's fee for Medicare benefits purposes. The multiple-operation formula is then applied to those items at which assistance was rendered and for which Medicare benefits for surgical assistance is payable to determine the abated fee level for assistance. The abated fee is used to determine the appropriate Schedule item covering the surgical assistance (ie either Item 51300 or 51303).

 

Multiple Operation Rule - Surgeon	Multiple Operation Rule - Assistant
Item A - $300@100%	Item A (Assist.) - $300@100%
Item B - $250@50%	Item B (No Assist.)
Item C - $200@25%	Item C (Assist.) - $200@50%
Item D - $150@25%	Item D (Assist.) - $150@25%

 

The derived fee applicable to Item 51303 is calculated on the basis of one-fifth of the abated Schedule fee for the surgery which attracts an assistance rebate.

 

Surgeons Operating Independently

Where two surgeons operate independently (ie neither assists the other or administers the anaesthetic) the procedures they perform are considered as two separate operations, and therefore, where a surgical assistant is engaged by each, or one of the surgeons, benefits for surgical assistance are payable in the same manner as if the surgeons were operating separately.

Related Items: 51300, 51303, 51306, 51309, 51312, 51315, 51318
 

51300
Assistance at any operation identified by the word "Assist." for which the Medicare Schedule fee does not exceed $611.50 (effective 1 July 2023) or at a series or combination of operations identified by the word "Assist." where the fee for the series or combination of operations identified by the word "Assist." does not exceed $611.50

51303
Assistance at any operation identified by the word "Assist." for which the fee exceeds $611.50 or at a series of operations identified by the word "Assist." for which the aggregate fee exceeds $611.50 one fifth of the established fee for the operation or combination of operations

51306
Assistance at a delivery involving Caesarean section

51309
Assistance at a series or combination of operations which have been identified by the word "Assist." and assistance at a delivery involving Caesarean section one fifth of the established fee for the operation or combination of operations (the fee for item 16520 being the Schedule fee for the Caesarean section component in the calculation of the established fee)

51312
Assistance at any interventional obstetric procedure covered by items 16606, 16609, 16612, 16615, and 16627 one fifth of the established fee for the procedure or combination of procedures

51315
Assistance at cataract and intraocular lens surgery covered by item 42698,42701, 42702, 42704 or 42707, when performed in association with services covered by item 42551 to 42569, 42653, 42656, 42725, 42746, 42749, 42752, 42776 or 42779

51318
Assistance at cataract and intraocular lens surgery where patient has:
- total loss of vision, including no potential for central vision, in the fellow eye; or
- previous significant surgical complication in the fellow eye; or
- pseudo exfoliation, subluxed lens, iridodonesis, phacodonesis, retinal detachment, corneal scarring, pre-existing uveitis, bound down miosed pupil, nanophthalmos, spherophakia, Marfan's syndrome, homocysteinuria or previous blunt trauma causing intraocular damage

 

Assistance at Operations - (Items 51800 and 51803)

Items covering operations which are eligible for benefits for assistance by an approved dental practitioner in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery or surgical assistance have been identified by the inclusion of the word "Assist" in the item description. Medicare benefits are not payable for surgical assistance associated with procedures which have not been so identified. The assistance must be rendered by a practitioner other than the surgeon, the anaesthetist or the assistant anaesthetist.
Where more than one practitioner provides assistance to an approved dental practitioner no additional benefits are payable.
The assistance benefit is the same irrespective of the number of practitioners providing assistance.

Benefits payable under item 51800
Medicare benefits are payable under Item 51800 for assistance rendered at the following procedures:
51900, 51904, 52010, 52018, 52039, 52048, 52051, 52062, 52063, 52066, 52078, 52090, 52092, 52095, 52105, 52108, 52111, 52130, 52138, 52141, 52144, 52147, 52182, 52300, 52303, 52312, 52315, 52321, 52324, 52336, 52339, 52424, 52440, 52452, 52480, 52482, 52600, 52603, 52609, 52612, 52615, 52624, 52626, 52627, 52800, 52803, 52806, 52809, 52818, 52824, 52828, 52830, 53006, 53009, 53016, 53215, 53220, 53225, 53226, 53236, 53239, 53242, 53406, 53409, 53412, 53413, 53415, 53416, 53453, 53460.
Where assistance with any of the above procedures is provided by a medical practitioner, benefits are payable under item 51300.

Benefits payable under Item 51803
Medicare benefits are payable under Item 51803 for assistance rendered at the following procedures:
51906, 52054, 52094, 52114, 52117, 52120, 52122, 52123, 52126, 52129, 52131, 52148, 52158, 52184, 52186, 52306, 52330, 52333, 52337, 52342, 52345, 52348, 52351, 52354, 52357, 52360, 52363, 52366, 52369, 52372, 52375, 52378, 52379, 52380, 52382, 52430, 52442, 52444, 52446, 52456, 52484, 52618, 52621, 52812, 52815, 52821, 52832, 53015, 53017, 53019, 53209, 53212, 53218, 53221, 53224, 53227, 53230, 53233, 53414, 53418, 53419, 53422, 53423, 53424, 53425, 53427, 53429, 53455 or at a combination of procedures (including those identified as payable under item 51800 above) for which the aggregate fee exceeds the amount specified in the item.
Where assistance with any of the above procedures is provided by a medical practitioner, benefits are payable under Item 51303.

Assistance at multiple operations
Where assistance is provided at two or more operations performed on a patient on the one occasion the multi operation formula is applied to all the operations to determine the surgical fee payable to each approved dental practitioner. The multi-operation formula is then applied to those items at which assistance was rendered and for which Medicare benefits for assistance is payable to determine the abated fee level for assistance. The abated fee is used to determine the appropriate Schedule item covering the surgical assistance (ie either Items 51800/51300 or 51803/51303).

The derived fee applicable to Item 51803/51303 is calculated on the basis of one-fifth of the abated Schedule fee for the surgery.

Related Items: 51800, 51803

51800
Assistance by an approved dental practitioner in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery at any operation identified by the word "Assist." for which the fee does not exceed $537.15 or at a series or combination of operations identified by the word "Assist." where the fee for the series or combination of operations identified by the word "Assist." does not exceed $611.50

Assistance by an approved dental practitioner in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery at any operation identified by the word "Assist." for which the fee exceeds $611.50 or at a series or combination of operations identified by the word "Assist." where the aggregate fee exceeds $611.50, one fifth of the established fee for the operation or combination of operations

 

Information for claiming Assistant items

• Submitting accounts with the above information will help more efficient processing and reduce rejections.
• Clearly state assisting item number, assisting doctor’s provider number and charge
• The word 'Surgeon' must be stated next to the surgeon’s name. (Do not use referring provider )
• Surgical items that the provider assisted with must be on the account
• Do not supply the breakdown of assistant’s fees for each surgical item if claiming for assistant item only
• There should be only one assisting item per operation/procedure and only one fee.

Example of how to set out an assistant item on an account:
Service provider: Dr G. Smith 0000000A
51303 – Assistance at operation $500
(Surgeon Dr Brown; items 40000, 30000)

 

The latest in Surgical Assistant news

MBS Review Advisory Committee Surgical Assistants – Final Report (health.gov.au)

Billing Agent

Billing Agents or A Billing Agency manage the billing process on behalf of Providers and submit claims to Medicare and Private Health Funds. It is recommended that a Billing Agent is registered with Medicare and is part of the audit process and comply with the MBS guidelines. 

 

Medical Billing Agents/Agencies cover all areas of accounts. This includes, Informed Financial Consent, Invoicing, Debtors and administrative tasks relating to accounts. Some agents will also help set up a Provider with Medicare and Private Health Funds, costs may apply. Boutique billing agents may only provide a select specialist area i.e. Anaesthetics or Cardiac Surgeons and not offer all specialist billing services. 

Depending on the size of the Agency, there could be many providers and specialties all using the same services with many Billing Agents within the company or a singular Agent providing services to a select few providers. 

Diagnostic Imaging

Home | RANZCR

What is Radiology?

Medical imaging is the technique and process used to create images of the human body (or parts and function thereof) for clinical purposes (medical procedures seeking to reveal, diagnose or examine disease) or medical science (including the study of normal anatomy and physiology). Although imaging of removed organs and tissues can be performed for medical reasons, such procedures are not usually referred to as medical imaging, but rather are a part of pathology.

As a discipline and in its widest sense, it is part of biological imaging and incorporates radiology (in the wider sense), nuclear medicine, investigative radiological sciences, endoscopy, (medical) thermography, medical photography and microscopy (e.g., for human pathological investigations).

Measurement and recording techniques which are not primarily designed to produce images, such as electroencephalography (EEG), magneto encephalography (MEG), Electrocardiography (EKG) and others, but which produce data susceptible to be represented as maps (i.e. containing positional information), can be seen as forms of medical imaging.

Diagnostic Imaging Services are Category 5 in the Medical Benefits Schedule … 55028 to 63497

Group I1 – Ultrasound

• Subgroup 1 – General … 55028 to 55085
• Subgroup 2 – Cardiac … 55113 to 55135
• Subgroup 3 – Vascular … 55238 to 55296
• Subgroup 4 – Urological … 55600 to 55603
• Subgroup 5 – Obstetric and Gynaecological … 55700 to 55774
• Subgroup 6 – Musculoskeletal … 55800 to 55854
• Subgroup 7 - Transthoracic Echocardiogram and Stress Echocardiogram... 55126 to 55146

Group I2 – Computed Tomography

• Head … 56001 to 56076
• Neck … 56101 to 56147
• Spine … 56219 to 56259
• Chest and Upper Abdomen … 56301 to 56347
• Upper Abdomen … 56401 to 56452
• Upper Abdomen and Pelvis … 56501 to 56554
• Extremities … 56619 to 56665
• Chest Abdomen Pelvis and Neck… 56801 to 56847
• Brain Chest and Upper Abdomen 57001 to 57047
• Pelvimetry … 57201 to 57247
• Interventional Techniques … 57341 to 57345
• Spiral Angiography … 57350 to 57356

Group I3 – Diagnostic Radiology

• Subgroup 1 – Radiographic Examination of Extremities … 57506 to 57527
• Subgroup 2 – Radiographic Examination of Shoulder or Pelvis … 57700 to 57721
• Subgroup 3 – Radiographic Examination of Head … 57901 to 57969
• Subgroup 4 – Radiographic Examination of Spine … 58100 to 58115
• Subgroup 5 – Bone Age Study and Skeletal Surveys … 58300 to 58306
• Subgroup 6 – Radiographic Examination of Thoracic Region 58500 to 58527
• Subgroup 7 – Radiographic Examination of Urinary Tract … 58700 to 58721
• Subgroup 8 – Radiographic Examination of Alimentary Tract and Biliary System … 58900 to 58939
• Subgroup 9 – Radiographic Examination for Localisation of Foreign Bodies … 59103
• Subgroup 10 – Radiographic Examination of Breasts … 59300 to 59318
• Subgroup 11 – Radiographic Examination in Connection with Pregnancy … 59503
• Subgroup 12 – Radiographic Examination with Opaque or Contrast Media … 59700 to 59763
• Subgroup 13 – Angiography … 59903 to 59974

By Digital Subtraction Technique

• Subgroup 13 – Angiography … 60000 to 60078
• Subgroup 14 – Tomography … 60100
• Subgroup 15 – Fluoroscopic Examination … 60500 to 60509
• Subgroup 16 – Preparation for Radiological Procedure … 60918 to 60927
• Subgroup 17 – Interventional Techniques … 61109

Group I4 – Nuclear Medicine Imaging … 61310 to 61650

Group I5 – Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• Subgroup 1 – Scan of Head - For Specified Conditions … 63001 to 63010
• Subgroup 2 – Scan of Head - For Specified Conditions … 63040 to 63073
• Subgroup 3 – Scan of Head and Neck Vessels - For Specified Conditions … 63101
• Subgroup 4 – Scan of Head and Cervical Spine - For Specified Conditions … 63111 to 63114
• Subgroup 5 – Scan of Head and Cervical Spine - For Specified Conditions … 63125 to 63131
• Subgroup 6 – Scan of Spine – One Region or Two Contiguous Regions - For Specified

Conditions … 63151 to 63154

• Subgroup 7 – Scan of Spine – One Region or Two Contiguous Regions - For Specified Conditions … 63161 to 63185
• Subgroup 8 – Scan of Spine – Three Contiguous Regions or Two Non-Contiguous Regions - For Specified Conditions … 63201 to 63204
• Subgroup 9 – Scan of Spine – Three Contiguous Regions or Two Non-Contiguous Regions - For Specified Conditions … 63219 to 63243
• Subgroup 10 – Scan of Cervical Spine and Brachial Plexus - For Specified Conditions … 63271 to 63280
• Subgroup 11 – Scan of Musculoskeletal System - For Specified Conditions … 63301 to 63307
• Subgroup 12 – Scan of Musculoskeletal System - For Specified Conditions … 63322 to 63340
• Subgroup 13 – Scan of Musculoskeletal System - For Specified Conditions … 63361
• Subgroup 14 – Scan of Cardiovascular System - For Specified Conditions … 63385 to 63391
• Subgroup 15 – Magnetic Resonance Angiography – Scan of the Cardiovascular System - For Specified Conditions … 63401 to 63404
• Subgroup 16 – Magnetic Resonance Angiography - For Specified Conditions – Person Under the Age of 16 Years … 63416
• Subgroup 17 – Magnetic Resonance Imaging - For Specified Conditions – Person Under the Age of 16 Years … 63425 to 63428
• Subgroup 18 – Magnetic Resonance Imaging - For Specified Conditions – Person Under the Age of 16 Years … 63440 to 63446
• Subgroup 19 – Scan of Body - For Specified Conditions … 63461 to 63467
• Subgroup 20 – Scan of Pelvis and Upper Abdomen - For Specified Conditions … 63470 to 63476
• Subgroup 21 – Scan of Body - For Specified Conditions … 63482
• Subgroup 22 – Modifying Items … 63491 to 63497

Group I6 – Management of Bulk-Billed Services 64990 to 64991

 

Entity Categories

DCM accommodates the needs for ALL medical disciplines plus more. Here is a list that is not conclusive. 

Entities have unique billing rules, and these are built into DCM. If you require an Entity Category that is not listed, please email support@directcontrol.com.au to request that it be included.

 

• Adult dermatology
• Adult haematology
• Adult mental illness
• Aerospace medicine
• Allergy
• Allied Health
• Anaesthetics
• Assistant in Surgery
• Audiological medicine
• Blood and marrow transplantation
• Blood banking and transfusion medicine
• Breast surgery
• Breast surgery oncology
• Burns care
• Cardiac surgery
• Cardio-thoracic
• Cardiologist
• Cardiology
• Cardiothoracic surgery  
• Cataract surgery
• Chemical pathology
• Child and adolescent psychiatry
• Chiropractic
• Clinical cytogenetics and molucular genetics
• Clinical genetics
• Clinical haematology
• Clinical immunology
• Clinical immunology/allergy
• Clinical microbiology
• Clinical neuro-physiology
• Clinical oncology
• Clinical pharmacology
• Clinical psysiology
• Colorectal
• Colorectal surgery
• Community medicine
• Community nursing
• Community support services
• Corneal surgery
• Cosmetic
• Councellor
• Critical care medicine
• Day surgery
• Dentistry
• Dermatologic surgery
• Dermatology
• Diabetic medicine
• Diabetics and nutrition
• Dive medicine (undersea hyperbaric medicine)
• Ear, nose and throat surgery
• Emergency medicine
• Endocrinology
• Endodontics
• Family practice
• Forensic psychiatry
• Gastroenterologist and Endoscopist
• Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist
• Gastroenterologist and Interventional Endoscopist
• Gastroenterology
• General dental practice
• General medical practice
• General medicine
• General pathology
• General practice
• General surgery
• Genito-urinary medicine
• Geriatric medicine
• Glaucoma surgery
• Government Department
• Gynaecological oncology
• Gynaecology
• Haematology
• Haemophilia
• Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery
• Hepatology
• Histopathology
• HIV nursing
• HIV social work
• Hospital
• Immunopathology
• Infectious diseases
• Intensive care
• Internal medicine
• Interventional radiology
• Learning disability
• Legal medicine
• Masseuse
• Maxillofacial surgery
• Medical microbiology
• Medical oncology
• Medical opthalmology
• Medication review
• Mental handicap
• Mental illness
• Midwifery
• Military medicine
• Narcotic addiction medicine
• Neonatology
• Nephrology
• Neuropathology
• Nuclear medicine
• Nurse practitioner
• Nursing
• Obstetrics
• Obstetrics and gynaecology
• Occupational medicine
• Occupational therapy
• Old age psychiatry
• Opthalmic plastic surgery
• Opthalmic surgery
• Opioid dependency management
• Optical
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery
• Oral surgery
• Orthodontics
• Orthopaedics
• Orthoptist
• Orthotist
• Osteopathic manipulative medicine
• Other
• Otolaryngology
• Paediatric bone marrow transplantation
• Paediatric cardiology
• Paediatric dentistry
• Paediatric dermatology
• Paediatric emergency medicine
• Paediatric endocrinology
• Paediatric gastroenterology
• Paediatric genetics
• Paediatric haematology
• Paediatric haematology oncology
• Paediatric immunology
• Paediatric infectious diseases
• Peadiatric intensive care
• Peadiatric nephrology
• Paediatric neurology
• Paediatric neurology oncology
• Paediatric oncology
• Peadiatric opthalmology
• Paediatric otolaryngology
• Paediatric plastic surgery
• Paediatric pulmonology
• Paediatric rheumatology
• Paediatric surgery
• Paediatrics
• Pain management
• Pain medicine
• Palliative medicine
• Pathology
• Periodontics
• Perioperative medicine
• Pharmacist
• Physician
• Physiotherapy
• Plastic surgery
• Podiatry
• Preventive medicine
• Prosthetist
• Prosthodontics
• Psychiatry
• Psychologist
• Psychology
• Psychosomatic medicine
• Psychotherapy
• Public health dentistry
• Public health medicine
• Pulmonary medicine
• Radiation oncology
• Radiological
• Radiology
• Refractive surgery
• Regenerative medicine
• Registered nurse
• Registrar
• Rehab physician
• Rehabilitation
• Respiratory and sleep medicine physician
• Respiratory medicine consultant
• Respite care
• Restorative dentistry
• Rheumatology
• Sleep studies
• Social work
• Specialist
• Specialist physician
• Speech pathology
• Strabismus surgery (extraocular muscle surgery)
• Suppliers
• Surgical
• Surgical dentistry
• Surgical oncology
• Theatre
• Thoracic medicine
• Thoracic surgery
• Toxicology
• Transfusion medicine
• Transplant medicine service
• Transplantation surgery
• Trauma and orthopaedics
• Tropical medicine
• Upper Gastroinstestinal surgery
• Urological oncology
• Urology
• Vascular imgaing
• Vascular medicine
• Vascular surgery

General Practice

RACGP - The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

General Practice

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is Australia's largest professional general practice organisation and represents urban and rural general practitioners.

RACGP represent over 40,000 members working in or towards a career in general practice.

The College’s mission is to improve health and wellbeing for all Australians by supporting general practitioners, registrars and medical students by assessing doctors' skills and knowledge, supplying ongoing professional development activities, developing resources and guidelines, helping general practitioners with issues that affect their practice and development of standards that general practices use as part of the accreditation process.

The College has a proud history of achievements including, the development of standards for general practitioners and general practices and introducing continuing professional development.

Medical Services

Australia's Healthcare System has a diverse range health advice. Primary Care is the main access point for Health Care. This consists of General Practitioners, Community Care, Pharmacies and Hospitals. Within the Healthcare System there are two main branches, Medicare and Privately Insured. Knowing your rules for Medical Services and a good understanding of the Australian Healthcare System is imperative to your businesses success. 

Medico Legal

Four areas make up the Legal medicine, known as Medico Legal.

• Civil Legal Medicine
• Forensic Legal Medicine
• Medical Ethics
• Medical Practice affected by statute law i.e., Health Insurance Act, Trade Practices Act

Some states have a Medico Legal Society's, and all states have professional specialists practicing Medico Law, as well as Australian Colleges dedicated to legal and ethical medical training.

• Queensland Home (medico-legal.com.au)
• New South Wales Welcome to the Medico-Legal Society of NSW Inc. - The Medico-Legal Society of NSW Inc. (medicolegal.org.au)
• Victoria The Medico-Legal Society of Victoria – Promoting medico-legal knowledge and the fostering of professional and collegiate scholarship since 1931 (mlsv.org.au)

Oncology

About The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia - COSA

An annual scientific multidisciplinary meeting discusses in some form the four main pillars of COSA and members of scientists, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals participate with each year a specific cancer type is the main topic.

 

The four pillars of COSA are:

• Education
• Networks
• Advocacy
• Research

COSA develop many activities for members to engage in for educational purposes such as Clinical Practice Guidelines. COSA regularly submit reports and position statement regarding cancer care policies to the government and other organisations. COSA actively contribute to trial groups and publish submissions and reports related to cancer research working with other disciplines to discuss and develop recommendations for change.

Pathology

RCPA - Home

What is Pathology?

Pathology is the medical specialty concerned with the study of the nature and causes of diseases. 
It underpins every aspect of medicine, from diagnostic testing and monitoring of chronic diseases to cutting-edge genetic research and blood transfusion technologies. 

Pathologists diagnose every detected cancer in the world. Pathology plays a vital role across all facets of medicine throughout our lives, from pre-conception to postmortem. In fact, it has been said that “Medicine IS Pathology”.

Due to the popularity of many television programs, the word ‘pathology’ brings up ideas of dead bodies and people in lab coats investigating the cause of suspicious deaths for the police. That’s certainly a side of pathology, but in fact it’s far more likely that pathologists are busy in a hospital clinic or laboratory helping living people.

Pathology is the medical science that saves lives by helping other doctors make informed decisions about their patients’ treatments. Pathologists study the cause of disease and the ways in which diseases affect our bodies, across all branches of medicine.

The doctors you see in surgery or at a clinic all depend on the knowledge, diagnostic skills and advice of Pathologists. 
Whether it’s a GP arranging a blood test or a surgeon wanting to know the nature of the lump removed at operation, the definitive answer is usually provided by a Pathologist.

There are nine different disciplines of Pathology.

1. Anatomical Pathology
2. Chemical Pathology
3. Clinical Pathology
4. Forensic Pathology
5. General Pathology
6. Genetic Pathology
7. Haematology
8. Immunopathology
9. Microbiology

Pathology Services is Category 6 in the Medicare Benefits Schedule with item codes 65060 to 74999
Group P1 - Haematology … 65060 to 65181
Group P2 – Chemical … 66500 to 66900
Group P3 – Microbiology … 69300 to 69500
Group P4 – Immunology … 71057 to 71203
Group P5 – Tissue Pathology 72813 to 72857
Group P6 – Cytology 73043 to 73065
Group P7 – Genetics … 73287 to 73324
Group P8 – Infertility and Pregnancy Tests
Group P9 – Simple Basic Pathology Tests (can be carried out by Doctors other than Pathologists) ... 73801 to 73811
Group P10 – Patient Episode Initiation …73920 to 73939
Group P11 – Specimen Referred … 73940
Group P12 – Management of Bulk-Billed Services … 74990 to 74991
Group P13 – Bulk Billed Pathology Episode Incentive Items … 74992 to 74999

 

Physicians

RACP

Physicians

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is a diverse and energetic organisation responsible for training, educating and representing over 330,000 medical specialists and trainee specialists from 33 different specialties across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The RACP is responsible for the training and assessment of doctors who have completed their medical degree and an internship at a hospital and wish to practice as physicians or paediatricians by undergoing further training through the RACP in order to specialise in a certain area of medicine. The RACP oversees their training, including positions in hospitals, and written and clinical examinations as well as providing a program of continuing professional development for Fellows of the RACP. Refer to ‘Training Pathways' and Continuing Professional Development for more information.

The RACP is responsible for training those who wish to become physicians or paediatricians. It is also responsible for providing a program of continuing professional development for Fellows of the College. Refer to Continuing Professional Development.

The RACP represents physicians and paediatricians by advocating on their behalf of physicians to governments, health organisations, medical colleges, consumer groups and to the general public.

The RACP believes it has a duty to better the health of all Australians and Aotearoa New Zealanders through development of health and social policy and advocating for its implementation. Refer to Policy and Advocacy for more information.

 

Common Questions about Physicians:

Q: How do physicians differ from specialists?
A: Physicians are often referred to as specialists, specialist physicians or consultant physicians and all these terms mean the same thing. All physicians may be referred to as specialists but not all specialists are physicians (for example, a surgeon is a specialist who has been trained in surgery and has been awarded Fellowship of the College of Surgeons).

 

Q: How do physicians differ from general practitioners (GP’s)?
A: In Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, a physician is a specialist in internal medicine who diagnoses and manages complex medical problems. Physicians complete at least six additional years of training after their basic medical degree and internship to specialise in a particular area of medicine. Physicians manage the medical problems of adults while paediatricians focus on children and adolescents. A general practitioner may also complete additional training but that will be undertaken through the Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners.

Some other countries, such as the United States, refer to all medical practitioners as physicians. In Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand only specialists are referred to as physicians.

 

Q: Where do physicians work from?
A: Physicians work from many different types of workplaces including hospitals, private practice, from home offices, visiting workplaces, community medical centres, in research and in medical administration.

 

Q: How can a patient be managed by a physician?
A: Normally a patient’s GP will decide if they need to see a physician and will provide a letter of referral to the appropriate specialist for the condition. If a patient is admitted to hospital they may be managed by a physician from that hospital.