Medicare Benefits Schedule - Item 92436

Telehealth attendance lasting more than 30 minutes, but not more than 45 minutes, by a consultant physician in the practice of the consultant physician’s specialty of psychiatry, if:

(a)    the patient is being managed by a medical practitioner or a participating nurse practitioner in accordance with a management plan prepared by the consultant in accordance with item 291 or 92435; and

(b)    the attendance follows referral of the patient to the consultant, by the medical practitioner or participating nurse practitioner managing the patient, for review of the management plan and the associated comprehensive diagnostic assessment; and

(c)    during the attendance, the consultant:

(i)     if it is clinically appropriate to do so—uses an appropriate outcome tool; and

(ii)   carries out a mental state examination; and

(iii)  reviews the comprehensive diagnostic assessment and undertakes additional assessment as required; and

(iv)  reviews the management plan; and

(d)    within 2 weeks after the attendance, the consultant prepares and gives to the referring practitioner a written report, which includes:

(i)     a revised comprehensive diagnostic assessment of the patient; and

(ii)   a revised management plan including updated recommendations to the referring practitioner to manage the patient’s ongoing care in a biopsychosocial model; and

(e)    if clinically appropriate, the consultant explains the diagnostic assessment and the management plan, and gives a copy, to:

(i)     the patient; and

(ii)   the patient’s carer (if any), if the patient agrees; and

(f)    in the preceding 12 months, a service to which item 291 of the general medical services table or item 92435 applies has been provided; and

(g)    in the preceding 12 months, a service to which this item or item 293 of the general medical services table applies has not been provided

Fee: $316.15 Benefit: 85% = $268.75

(See para AN.0.30 of explanatory notes to this Category)

Extended Medicare Safety Net Cap: $500.00

• Previous - Item 92435
• Next - Item 92437

Intention of Item 291 and 92435:

It is expected that item 291 or 92435 will be a single attendance. The intention of this item is to provide access to psychiatry expertise and the provision of a detailed written report to the referrer, so that the medical practitioner in general practice (including a general practitioner, but not a specialist or consultant physician) or participating nurse practitioner can provide the ongoing management of the patient. The detailed report is a fundamental component of this item and must address not only a comprehensive diagnostic assessment but also the recommended management of the patient in both the immediate and longer term.

Where a patient’s clinical needs are complex and the psychiatrist assesses it is not appropriate for the referrer to provide the ongoing management of the patient, the psychiatrist should use item 296, 297 or 299 (for a new patient) or 300, 302, 304, 306 or 308 (for subsequent attendance) or telehealth equivalent items 92437, 91827 to 91831, 91837 to 91839 (refer to Note AN.0.75).

The referrer can seek a revision of this management plan once in a 12 month period, through item 293 or 92436.

Referral:

Referral for items 291 or 92435 and 293 or 92436 are required from a medical practitioner in general practice or participating nurse practitioner for the assessment and development of a management plan of a patient with mental health condition.

Note: If a specialist of a discipline outside of psychiatry, wishes to refer a patient for this item the referral should take place through the medical practitioner in general practice or participating nurse practitioner.

Claiming other psychiatry items in association with 291 or 92435:

Whilst it is not expected that additional attendance items would be routinely used prior to item 291 or 92435, there may be circumstances where a patient has been referred (by a medical practitioner in general practice or participating nurse practitioner) for an assessment or management plan, but it is not possible for the psychiatrist to determine in the initial consultation whether the patient is suitable for management under such a plan.

In those circumstances, where the psychiatrist undertakes a consultation prior to the 291 or 92435 consultation, time based consultation items can be claimed, according to the item requirements. In these cases, where clinically appropriate, items 296, 297 or 299 (for a new patient) or 300, 302, 304, 306 or 308 (for subsequent attendance) or telehealth equivalent items (92437, 91827 to 91831, 91837 to 91839) may be used. Non-patient interview items 341, 343, 345, 347 or 349 or telehealth equivalent items 91874 to 91878, 91882 to 91884 may be used, where clinically appropriate, to assist with diagnosis assessment and preparation of treatment plans.

Claiming other psychiatry items following item 291 or 92435:

Whilst it is not expected that psychiatry time-based attendance items, such as items 300 to 308, would be used following the billing of item 291 or 92435, there may be clinical circumstances where limited follow up is required to provide short term assistance to enable the medical practitioner in general practice or participating nurse practitioner to provide the ongoing management of the patient. For example, one or two consultations monitoring the titration of a Schedule 8 medication prior to transfer of care back to a medical practitioner in general practice.  As the intention of this item is to provide detailed recommendations to the referrer to manage the patient’s ongoing care, only short-term non-ongoing management which enables this intent would be considered appropriate.  

Item 293 or 92436 provides opportunity for a comprehensive review of the management plan initiated by the referrer and can be claimed once in a 12 month period following use of item 291 or 92435.

Requirements of item 291 or 92435 - Use of outcome tools:

In order to contribute to the diagnostic assessment and monitor response to therapy, where clinically appropriate, an assessment and/or outcome tool should be utilised during the assessment and review stage of treatment. The choice of the evidence-based tool/s to be used is at the clinical discretion of the practitioner, however the following outcome tools are recommended:

• Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10)
• Short Form Health Survey (SF12)
• Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS)
• DASS 21 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress)
• BDI (Depression)
• BAI (Anxiety)
• BDRS (Bipolar Disorder)
• YBOCS (OCD)
• GRS (Older adults)
• EPDS (Postnatal Depression)

Requirements of item 291 or 92435 - Management Plan Report:

A written copy of the detailed management plan in consultation with the patient, must be provided to the referring GP or participating nurse practitioner within a maximum of two weeks of the assessment.

It should be noted that two weeks is the outer limit and in more serious cases more prompt provision of the plan and verbal communication with the referring GP or participating nurse practitioner may be appropriate.

The detailed Management Plan should contain:

• The findings of the comprehensive diagnostic assessment and the formulation that contributed to this assessment (including the finding of the outcome tools where clinically appropriate)
• Relevant history and Mental Status Examination
• Identification of any risks to the patient or others
• Detailed management plan which includes, as clinically appropriate, not limited to one or more of the following recommendations:

o   Biopsychosocial management

o   Non-medication recommendations including (where relevant): psychoeducation; recommendations for psychological treatment (and who should provide this); social prescribing

o   Indications for review or episode and escalation of treatment strategies

o   Longer term management goals

Review of Management Plan - Item 293 or 92436:

Item 293 or 92436 is available in instances where the referring medical practitioner in general practice or participating nurse practitioner initiates a review of the plan provided under item 291 or 92435, usually where the current plan is not achieving the anticipated outcome or there has been a change in the clinical circumstances. It is expected that when a plan is reviewed, any modifications necessary will be made. Item 293 or 92436 can only be claimed once in a 12 month period, following the provision of a service under 291 or 92435.

Related Items: 291 293 296 297 299 300 302 304 306 308 91166 91167 91169 91170 91172 91173 91175 91176 91827 91831 91837 91839 92435 92436 92437