PSR Annual Report 2007-08

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Glossary

80/20 rule
see prescribed pattern of services
Act
Health Insurance Act 1973, as amended by the Health Legislation (Professional Services Review) Amendment Act 1994 and subsequent amendments
Committee
A Professional Services Review Committee established by the Director in accordance with section 93 of the Act to examine a case of apparent ‘inappropriate practice’ referred by Medicare Australia
Cox-2
A selective inhibitor – the newest of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Determining Authority
A three-person panel responsible for determining the sanction following an adverse PSR Committee finding
Director
The Director of Professional Services Review is an independent statutory officer appointed by the minister – the occupant must be a medical practitioner and the AMA must agree to the appointment
disqualification
Exclusion (partial or complete) from eligibility for the practitioner’s services to attract Medicare benefits
ECG
electrocardiogram
EPC
enhanced primary care
inappropriate practice
Conduct in connection with rendering or initiating services for which a Medicare benefit was payable, and which a committee of peers could reasonably consider would be unacceptable to the general body of the peer group (section 82 of the Act)
Level A service
A professional attendance for an obvious problem characterised by the straightforward nature of the task that requires a short patient history and, if required, limited examination and management.
Level B service
A professional attendance involving taking a selective history, examination of the patient with implementation of a management plan.
Level C service
A professional attendance involving taking a detailed history, an examination of multiple systems, arranging necessary investigations and implementing a management plan in relation to one or more problems and lasting at least 20 minutes.
Level D service
A professional attendance involving taking an exhaustive history, a comprehensive examination of multiple systems, arranging any necessary investigations and implementing a management plan in relation to one or more complex problems, and lasting at least 40 minutes.
MBS
Medicare Benefits Schedule
Minister
Minister for Health and Ageing
Panel
PSR Panel consisting of medical practitioners, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, osteopaths and podiatrists appointed by the minister following consultation with the relevant professional organisations
PBS
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Prescribed pattern of services
A prescribed pattern of services is also known as the 80/20 rule, whereby a practitioner is deemed to have practised inappropriately if he or she renders 80 or more services on 20 or more days in a 12-month period
PSR
Professional Services Review
referral
A case prepared by the Director and referred to a PSR Committee for investigation, detailing the concerns and the reasons a practitioner or other person may have engaged in ‘inappropriate practice’ in the terms of section 82 of the Act
request for review
A case prepared by Medicare Australia asking the Director to review the provision of services and containing Medicare Australia’s concerns and the reasons it considers a practitioner or other person may have engaged in inappropriate practice in the terms of section 82 of the Act.
Schedule 4 drugs
Restricted drugs
Schedule 8 drugs
Drugs of addiction
VRGP
Vocationally Recognised General Practitioner

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