Prepare for Private Practice: Anaesthetics

Australian Society of Anaesthetists (asa.org.au)

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 – 25013 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 4 years or 75 years or greater in age having a Colonoscopy lasting up to 30 minutes showing the AMA Unit Value of $110.

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

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