Available once a year to all ATSI patient, regardless of age.
A health assessment means the assessment of a patient’s health and physical, psychological and social function and consideration of whether preventive health care and education should be offered to the patient, to improve that patient’s health and physical, psychological and social function.
MBS item 715 must include the following elements:
(a) information collection, including taking a patient history and undertaking examinations and investigations as required;
(b) making an overall assessment of the patient;
(c) recommending appropriate interventions;
(d) providing advice and information to the patient; and
(e) keeping a record of the health assessment, and offering the patient, and/or patient’s carer, a written report about the health assessment with recommendations about matters covered by the health assessment; and
(f) offering the patient’s carer (if any, and if the general practitioner considers it appropriate and the patient agrees) a copy of the report or extracts of the report relevant to the carer.
If, after receiving this health assessment, a patient who is aged fifteen years and over but under the age of 55 years, is identified as having a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes as determined by the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool, the general practitioner may refer that person to a subsidised lifestyle modification program, along with other possible strategies to improve the health status of the patient.
The Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool can be obtained from http://www.health.gov.au/preventionoftype2diabetes
A health assessment may only be claimed by a general practitioner.
A health assessment should generally be undertaken by the patient’s ‘usual doctor’. For the purpose of the health assessment, “usual doctor” means the general practitioner, or a general practitioner working in the medical practice, which has provided the majority of primary health care to the patient over the previous twelve months and/or will be providing the majority of care to the patient over the next twelve months.
The Health Assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People is not available to people who are in-patients of a hospital or care recipients in a residential aged care facility.
A health assessment should not take the form of a health screening service (see General Explanatory Notes G.13.1).
MBS health assessment item 715 must be provided by a general practitioner personally attending upon a patient. Suitably qualified health professionals, such as practice nurses, Aboriginal health workers or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners employed and/or otherwise engaged by a general practice or health service, may assist general practitioners in performing this health assessment. Such assistance must be provided in accordance with accepted medical practice and under the supervision of the general practitioner. This may include activities associated with:
– information collection; and
– providing patients with information about recommended interventions at the direction of the general practitioner.
The general practitioner should be satisfied that the assisting health professional has the necessary skills, expertise and training to collect the information required for the health assessment.
General practitioners should not conduct a separate consultation in conjunction with a health assessment unless it is clinically necessary (ie. the patient has an acute problem that needs to be managed separately from the assessment).
Item 715 does not apply for services that are provided by any other Commonwealth or State funded services. However, where an exemption under subsection 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 has been granted to an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service or State/Territory Government health clinic, item 715 can be claimed for services provided by general practitioners salaried by or contracted to, the Service or health clinic. All requirements of the item must be met.