Report on performance
Performance
Medicare Australia sent 27 requests for review to PSR this year (see Table 1). The Director dismissed one case during the review process following the death of the practitioner. The Determining Authority ratified six negotiated agreements. In 10 additional cases the Determining Authority made a final determination following a Committee report, two of which were subject to applications to the Federal Court and were not effective as at 30 June 2007. Six new Committees were established during the year.
At 30 June 2007, 18 cases were under review by the Director and 22 referrals were in various stages of the Committee process. In addition, 13 cases were with the Determining Authority, 11 of these were in the Federal Court.
It took an average of 155 days (208 days in 2005–06) to complete those seven cases leading to a negotiated agreement to the stage when they were referred to the Determining Authority against a legislative timeframe of 13 months for completion.
| 2006–07 | 2005–06 | |
|---|---|---|
| Requests received from Medicare Australia | 27 | 7 |
| No further action | 1 | 0 |
| Requests withdrawn or lapsed | 1 | 0 |
| Committees established | 6 | 2 |
| Committee reports issued | 13 | 6 |
| – Findings of inappropriate practice | 8 | 6 |
| – Findings of no inappropriate practice | 5 | 0 |
| Referrals to medical boards | 7 | 0 |
| Negotiated agreements ratified | 6 | 8 |
| Final determinations made | 10 | 5 |