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Administrative data
Medicare Benefits Schedule The Department of Human Services collects data on the activity of all persons making claims through the Medicare Benefits Scheme and provides this information to the Department of Health. Information collected includes the type of service provided (MBS item number) and the benefit paid by Medicare for the service. The item numbers and benefits paid by Medicare are based on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) which is a listing of the Medicare services subsidised by the Australian Government. See Appendix 1 – MBS items for a mapping of MBS items used in this publication. Medicare Enrolment Database The Medicare Enrolment Database (MEDB) includes listings of people who are registered to receive Medicare benefits in Australia. Other allied health services Other allied health services refer to a range of services provided by health professionals who are not doctors, nurses or dentists, and include those provided by:
MBS items used to define other allied health services in this publication are listed in Appendix 1 – MBS items. Other allied health services not subsidised through the MBS are not included in this publication. Pathology collection Pathology collection services refer to the actual collection of specimens (e.g. a blood specimen) on which pathology tests are performed. MBS items used to define pathology collection services in this publication are listed in Appendix 1 – MBS items. Pathology tests Pathology tests refer to laboratory tests that analyse pathology specimens. They are used in the diagnosis of disease and to assist in preventive health, acute care and the management of chronic health conditions. Multiple tests may be performed on a single pathology specimen. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The Department of Human Services provides data on prescriptions funded through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to the Department of Health. The PBS lists all of the medicines available to be dispensed to patients at a Government-subsidised price. Practice nurse A practice nurse is someone who is either a registered nurse or enrolled as a nurse, and employed (or services are retained) by a medical practitioner. Practice nurses are able to deliver some services on behalf of and under the supervision of medical practitioners. MBS items used to define practice nurse services in this publication are listed in Appendix 1 – MBS items. Primary Health Networks Primary Health Networks have been established with the key objectives of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients, particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes, and improving coordination of care to ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time. Each Primary Health Network has a corresponding geographic area. See Primary Health Networks on the Australian Government Department of Health website for more information. Remoteness Areas Broad geographical regions that share common characteristics of remoteness based on the Remoteness Structure of the ABS's Australian Statistical Geographical Standard. The classification includes a Remoteness Structure which divides Australia into six broad regions called Remoteness Areas. The purpose of the Remoteness Structure is to provide a classification for the release of statistics that inform policy development by classifying Australia into large regions that share common characteristics of remoteness, based on physical distance from services. Self-assessed health A person's general assessment of their own health against a five point scale comprising excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas is a product developed by the ABS that ranks areas in Australia according to relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. There are four indexes, each focusing on a different aspect of socio-economic advantage and disadvantage, based on different subsets of information from the five-yearly Census. The 2011 Census-based Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage was used in sample design for the 2016 Survey of Health Care. Data included in this publication use the 2016 Census-based Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage. A lower Index of Disadvantage quintile (e.g. quintile 1) indicates relatively greater disadvantage and a lack of advantage in general. A higher Index of Disadvantage (e.g. quintile 5) indicates a relative lack of disadvantage and greater advantage in general. For more information see Census of Population and Housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas, Australia, 2016. Specialists A specialist is a medical doctor who is an expert in a specific area of medicine. Examples include dermatologists, cardiologists, neurologists and gynaecologists. Visits to specialists require a referral from a GP or other doctor. MBS items used to define specialist services in this publication are listed in Appendix 1 – MBS items. Specialist services delivered to public patients in public hospitals, not subsidised through the MBS, are not included in this publication. Usual GP A usual GP is defined as the GP that people go to for most of their health care. Usual place of care Usual place of care is defined as the place that people usually go if they are sick or need advice about their health. Examples of a usual place of care include a clinic with GPs only, a clinic with GPs and other health professionals, a community health centre, an Aboriginal medical service or, for some patients, a hospital emergency department. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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