ePublications - Historical Collection
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contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.
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To apply preservation treatments, including digitisation, to a high value and vulnerable Historical collection of items held in the Darwin and Alice Springs libraries so that the items may be accessed without causing further damage to the original items and provide accessibility for stakeholders.
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Please note: this document is part of the Historical Collection and the information contained within may be out of date.
This copy is a reproduction of an original record. Please note that the quality of the original record may be poor and cannot be enhanced with the scanning process.
Northern Territory Department of Health Library Services Historical Collection
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MARCH1996
Ecitioo.No2 @HEAi.ill SEIMCES~~ )r}\ '""'
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SPECIAL INFORMATION BULLETIN
for reporting progress on
THS CASEMIX CLINICAL AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROJECT AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.MAJOR DATA COMMUNICATIONS UPGRADE
- NEW ERA FOR
THS
Large corporations in our modern complex society, whether they be public or private sector, have an ever growing need for access to information for the 3J'eration and planning of their businesses.
\_ ,;Titory Health Services has recognised the strategic nature of having a high capacity and reliable data communications network to underpin and integrate our current and future systems.
This has led to the initiation of the Data Communications Infrastructure Project and for the investment of over $5 million over the next three years.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN:-
PHASE I - A tender has just been awarded to Digital Equipment Corporation to recable our Hospitals, Urban Community Health Centres, Community Care Centres, Regional and District Offices up to international standards. This will provide substantially improved capacity and reliability for all our Local Area Networks (LANS). Work is expected to be completed by the end of April 1996.
PHASE 2 -Another tender has just closed for the rollout and integration of several hundred personal computers (PCs). These PCs known as Universal Workstations will be used to provide a single point of access to THS systems. When completed it will allow the variety of disparate networks currently in use to be reduced to a single standards based network.
( ring this rollout those existing personal computers already connected to the network will be brought up to the new Departmental minimum standards (PCs to 486 capacity and 8MB of memory).
Some personal computers on the network which cannot be upgraded will be replaced.
WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?
Priority will be given to replacing the HIS terminals in April and then progressively over three to four months the upgrades and replacement of propriety terminals such as IBM, Digital and Qantel. A more detailed implementation plan will be issued after the tender evaluation is complete.
In terms of software the personal computers will be loaded with CC-Mail, MS Office, Lotus Organiser, On-Line training and virus protection.
In summary, by around the middle of the year we expect to have a substantially upgraded single network with standard workstations and software wherever possible within funding limits.
Clearly this will provide benefits to all staff and the Department for example access to standard office software, improved support arrangements, standard training courses and single workstation access to Departmental business systems.
THS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
STRATEGY PROJECTS ••.
... consists of four major projects. Each of these have significant components that are
also treated as individual projects.
+
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PATIENT COSTING+
HOSPITAL CLINICAL AND PATIENT SYSTEMS+
COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE ANDOFFICE SYSTEMS
+
COMMUNITY CARE INFORMATION SYSTEMDEVELOPMENT
TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY PROJECTS
A number of projects are now stepping into top gear and even as this article is being written, significant events are occurring.
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) have cablers on multiple sites (Darwin, Alice Springs and Nhulunbuy) bringing our data cables up to international standard.
The evaluation team which is selecting the Patient Costing Software Package have short listed the possible packages to three and are in the middle of demonstrations.
The tender for workstations rollout has closed and is currently being evaluated.
Details on the current status of each project are described below.
It is now all really happening at last!!
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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PATIENT COSTING The Financial Management and Patient Costing Project is proceeding on schedule. Current activities are focussed on the evaluation of candidate costing systems and the development of specifications for the extraction of expenditure data from financial systems.
The project team in conjunction with a THS evaluation panel is currently assessing the responses from vendors to the tender which closed on 7 February 1996. Demonstrations by vendors will be held in Darwin during the fortnight commencing on 4 March 1996. This will be follow~d by visits to hospitals that have installed such systems. It is planned to finalise the selection at the end of March 1996.
Substantial effort is also being devoted to the development of specjfications for the extracts of financial information from the core THS financial systems (GAS and PIPS). The priority areas for
operational expenditure as these comprise over 90% of hospital
expenditure. This work is being done in conjunction with THS Corporate Services Division and NT Treasury.
HOSPITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (HIS) -
CARESYS:
The project team is:
• Project Manager: Coralie Christie Telephone 99 7482
• HIS System Manager : Jan Robbins Telephone 992973
• Project Officers : Judy Mackay Telephone 99 7543
Debbie Turner Telephone 99 7484
• HIS Support Representative: Kaye Muir Telephone 22 8903
This project is steaming along with the specification of requirements for core CareSys modules completed. Testing will commence in March and will include HIS User Group representatives and where possible Super Users from each site.
Visits to all Hospital sites to discuss their hardware and training needs have been completed. Recabling for the new Personal Computers known as Universal Access Workstations (UAWS) will commence in late February or early March.
Installation of these workstations will commence in April. In conjunction with this, training will be available on an ongoing basis for UA WS and Local Area Network users.
Specific training for CareSys will commence in June. Further details will be published closer to the date.
Please give the project team a call if you have any queries about the HIS project.
Keep your eye on Horizans for further updates.
s n s r . t wmmzrnamzEER
MANAGEMENT The initial planning phase for this project which mainly comprised undertaking a review of the existing Qantel system, is nearing completion. A draft Options Paper has been produced and is currently being finalised.
The Options Paper provides an assessment of the Qantel system and outlines the technology options available to THS in relation to Supply and Materials Management.
Recommendations in the paper are not confined to technology issues as they also cover administrative and operational concerns.
Informal copies of the final Options Paper will be made available to all staff who participated in the review of the Qantel system.
A Pre-qualification for Tender was issued for the implementation of a Pharmacy Information System consisting of the following modules :
• Prescription Processing
• Patient Dispensing (including ward imprests)
• Inventory Control
• Additives and Manufacturing of IVs and TPNs
• Barcoding
Twelve submissions were received aq,cl-\
short-list compiled. Further
V
investigation into these short-listed submissions is currently underway and includes reference checking, site visits and detailed demonstrations. A
recommendation based on these findings will be issued shortly.
For further information on the Pharmacy Information System please contact Warren de Fonseka on telephone 99 6393.
Please submit any questions regarding Casemix to Kay
Cook on 99 2749 or via CCMail, and they will be answered on the back page of
Horizans in each edition.
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UPDATES . . . . UPDATES . . . . UPDATES
HOSPITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM CULL/ ARCHIVE
Currently the NT wide Patient Master Index (PMI) on the hospital
Information system has in excess of 900,000 records, which does not reflect our current Territory
population .of 170,000 approximately.
This has resulted from records being carried over from previous systems, the lack of business rules and inadequate staff training.
In its current state the PMI will
continue to have major implications for disk space and the 'query' response time. This is proving to be very frustrating for staff in busy operational areas. With the Medilinc upgrade to the new CareSys it is not acceptable to include the PMI in its current form. There are considerable benefits to be obtained by providing staff with a clean.PM! database and improved system performance.
After careful research action will be taken over the next couple of weeks to remove approximately 400,000 records. It will be important to support the cleanup with consistent business rules and a comprehensive training program throughout Territory Hospitals.
KAREN WESTON Telephone 99 5469
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THS CASEMIX CLINICAL AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROJECT ( CLINICAL INITIATIVES
The Clinical Initiatives project consists of three sub-projects which are Clinical Data Collections, National Quality Indicators and Outcomes Measures, and Clinical Care Practices. Significant progress has been made in a very short period of time and the current status is described below.
CLINICAL DATA COLLECTIONS REVIEW OF DISCHARGE SUMMARIES, PRACTICES AND
DOCUMENTATION
Dr Peter Markey, Epidemiology, and Dr James Jarvis, Project Manager Clinical Initiatives, are presenting recommendations on the Generation and Dissemination of Discharge Summaries to the THS Casemix Clinical and Technical Reference Group on Tuesday 5 March 1996.
These recommendations will focus on the question of 'how we can do it better'. Feedback from this first draft will be incorporated into a final set of recommendations to be ( >mitted for approval by the Reference Group in April '1996.
VOICE TEXT SOFTWARE TRIAL
Dr Jim Burrow, Physician, RDH, will be reporting on the current status of the Voice Text Software Trial to the THS Casemix Clinical and Technical Reference Group on Tuesday 5 March 1996. An update of the current will be in April's edition of Horizans.
CLINICAL SUMMARY AUDIT
Suggested Clinical Audit procedures will be presented to the next THS Casemix Clinical and Technical Reference Group on Tuesday 5 March 1996 for their comments and feedback.
In April a revised set of suggested procedures will be forwarded to each hospital for implementation at ward level.
MORBIDITY CODING AUDIT
A Coding Auditor will be contracted from interstate through Primecare.
CODING CHECKS
Patient Services Manager at RDH, Andrea Morrison, is currently working on a Statistical Analysis System program written to analyse the quality of coded morbidity data. This will check the quality of previously coded data against national standards.
INTRODUCTION OF EPISODES OF CARE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
The THS Casemix Clinical and Technical Reference Group is looking to establish standards for identifying patients' change of status i.e. moving from one episode of care to another episode of care. Preliminary recommendations will be discussed at the March meeting of the Reference Group.
NATIONAL QUALITY INDICATORS AND OUTCOME MEASURES
Jan Robbins, HIS System Manager is in the process of setting up a user group to promote consistent data entry practices.
User groups will commence early March.
Some quality indicators and outcome measures are:
• Quality Unplanned readmission rates Unplanned returns to theatre Hospital acquired infection rates
• Access
• Efficiency
Outpatient referral waiting times Elective surgery waiting lists
Emergency Department waiting times Cost per DRG
Average Length of Stay (ALOS)
CLINICAL CARE PRACTICES
Dr James Jarvis is obtaining information on the John Hunter Hospital project on Automated Notification of Primary Carers of Admission and Discharge of Patients. Enhanced Discharge Planning and Managed Care Plans will be investigated in the future.
CASEMIX FUNDING SYSTEM (ALSO KNOWN AS 0UTPUT-
BASED FUNDING SYSTEM)
For some years, the Commonwealth Government has pursued improvement in its funding of the State Health systems including Public Hospitals.
Its purpose has been to reduce inequities and inefficiencies amongst hospitals and seek maximum returns for the health dollar. The
Commonwealth Government's strategy is to encourage States and Territories to:
• move towards regional and area administration of health services
• develop equitable funding systems and
• prepare for the introduction of a system of Casemix funding at both the State and Commonwealth levels.
Under the Medicare Agreement (1993-1998), the States and
Territories and the Commonwealth are committed to working on projects such as the establishment of a nationally consistent Casemix-based management and information system that could serve as the foundation for alternative hospital-based funding.
Casemix in its simplist form is a tool that classifies treatments and patients into standard classes based on the nature of their diagnosis, the treatment required and the expected resource consumption. However, the word 'Casemix' has expanded in meaning through common use. It now is often used to also refer to the management strategies that utilise the information derived from the ability to classify patient care.
In past years the Northern Territory Government has funded its hospitals on a historical basis, without taking account for what hospitals do. That is, the number and type of patients they treat and the services they provide.
Hospitals are beginning to measure performance on the basis of Casemix - weighted separations. This is to accurately reflect services provided and the complexity of patients treated.
The Australian National Diagnosis Related Groups (AN-DRGs) Casemix classification and weighting system arranges patient conditions into clinically meaningful groups with similar costs. This classification system simplifies over 10,000 possible diagnostic categories into 527 groups.
Work is underway to develop Case mix classification systems for a number of other areas of healthcare. These classifications include Sub-Acute and Non-Acute Casemix Classification Project (SNAP), Hospital Related Ambulatory Care Project (DACS), Mental Health and Emergency Care (URGS). Over time the THS Casemix Funding System will be expanded to take ·account of these classifications systems.
Under the new Casemix Funding System, hospital incomes will reflect the type and amount of work they do.
WHAT IS CASEMIX FUNDING?
Casemix funding is concerned with funding services on the basis of outputs. What an agency is paid is related to the services it delivers or outputs it achieves.
Examples of output measures for hospital services include a delivered meal, a measured episode of care.
Output should not be confused with
throughput, ie the number of clients who have received the service.
Throughput is generally not a useful measure on which to fund an agency as it does not indicate the amount of service received by clients.
Casemix funding can be structured to include financial or other incentives to encourage better performance.
By providing the right incentives, Casemix funding will encourage service redevelopment without the need for detailed, centralised, administrative intervention, ie, it will be achieved. A commitment to qut J;"
will be encouraged through a clear specification of the required standards and performance measures being included in Service Level Agreements and contracts;
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CASEMIX FUNDING?
• Patients are moved to centre stage.
Resources available for meeting the additional needs of patients are invested in patients rather than hospitals.
• Resources are used more effectively as they are clearly focused on the delivery of service.
• Greater autonomy can be proviO to the regions and hospitals by removing many of the restrictions on how services must be delivered.
Increased freedom means that regions and hospitals are better positioned to innovate with alternative methods of service delivery.
• There is greater certainty for the Department, regions and hospitals, as both come to clearly understand what is expected of them.
The new system will recast hospital budgets along fairer lines. It will reshape hospital services as hospitals and their Boards better understand the nature and cost of services provided by that hospital.
CAROL BEA VER Telephone 99 2966
HEALTH ECONOMICS & RESOURCE ALLOCATION POLICY UNIT
4
UPDATES . . . . UPDATES . . . . UPDATES
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SUB-ACUTE AND NON-ACUTE PATIENT (SNAP)
CLASSIFICATION
The separation of sub-acute episodes of care from acute episodes is now recognised as an essential step in
understanding the outputs of the healthcare system. For the purpose of management it is important to be able to group all patients into clinically meaningful classes that have similar resource usage. Fetter, at Yale University, developed such classes by classifying patient care episodes into Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs). However sub-acute and non-acute episodes are not adequately classified by DRGs. As a consequence work has commenced in Australia to develop a suitable classification system for sub-acute and non-acute care.
NSW is now implementing a study which will capture nationally 18,000 episodes of sub-acute and non-acute care.
( Within this study Functional Related Groups which uses the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of the Uniform Data System (UDS) in America will classify the
rehabilitation episodes of inpatient care.
FIM essentially performs the similar function of DR Gs
(acute care) in classifying episodes of care for Palliative Care, Rehabilitation, Geriatric Evaluation and Management, Psychogeriatric Care and Maintenance Care.
Source: SNAP Version 1; results of the first phase of the NSW Sub- Acute Casemix Area Network study by Kathy Eagar, David Cromwell and Carmel Kennedy. Centre for Health Service Development, University of Wollongong.
Carmel Kennedy from the Centre for Health Service Development, University of Wollongong was in Darwin to present to Nursing staff and Allied Health Professionals (Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists) a 'Train the Trainer' program for Functional Independence Measures (FIM) under the Sub-Acute and Non-Acute Patient (SNAP) Classification study.
This program was held at RDH's Auditorium on Monday 26 February 1996 and was considered to be a priority as SNAP is to be scheduled to commence from 1 July 1996 and practice in FIMs prior to the study was highly recommended.
As part of the expectation and commitment to the program those.staff who undertook this training will ensure staff unable to attend will be given training as soon.as possible.
For further information contact Michael Jean on 99 2787 or Kay Cook on 99 2479.
HOSPITAL CASEMIX CO-ORDINATORS
TENNANT CREEK HOSPITAL
Staff at Tennant Creek Hospital are gearing up for the introduction of Casemix and since my secondment to the (_ Casemix Coordinator position at Tennant Creek Hospital more staff are showing an interest in the implementation process. Nursing structure has been formalised into inpatient and outpatient services and ANSOS is being used for rostering and other data collection. The Level 3 Nurses are now managing their own cost centres and monitoring expenditure across all areas as a preparatory measure for the introduction of Casemix. We are anxiously awaiting the implementation of the CareSys and the upgrade of other Information Systems hardware and software.
Some doctors at the hospital have had experience with Casemix in other states and have been very helpful in sharing their experiences and concerns. This has given me an insight as to why some staff coming from other states do not feel there are many benefits to be gleened from Casemix. One of the areas of concern for medical and nursing staff is the discharge summary form. It is hoped the form being developed will have sufficient room for recording of all details relevant to a patient's admission. Armed with insight to the concerns of clinical staff it is hoped that a system that
will capture the data needed for Casemix can be implemented while providing all hospital staff with the tools they require to work efficiently and effectively.
Another area of concern amongst staff in the diagnostics and allied health areas is the extra workload that will be placed on them. These areas in Tennant Creek are solitary positions and staff are asking if there will be any administration support provided for these positions.
Since taking up this position I have realised the enormity of the project. I have been involved in a few workshops and now pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place for me. I hope, with the help of Stewart McDermid, Business Systems Manager to have the Patient Costing Model for Tennant Creek Hospital up and running by mid March 1996.
VERA McMAHON Telephone 62 4306
5
Morbidity coding has been extremely successful in Gove District Hospital and the Patient Services Manager is to be congratulated on her effort in achieving this.
The Casemix Steering Committee is up and running again.
There have been many plans and timelines for the implementation on 1 July 1996.
JUDITH HUTCHINGS Telephone 87 0263
AUCE SPRINGS HOSPITAL
The Terms of Reference for the Alice Springs Hospital Casemix Steering Committee have been revised with a particular focus on steering. The THS Casemix Clinical and Resource Management Project and Membership has been extended to involve all operational area managers.
Discharge summaries - Focus groups of senders and recipients are being convened by the Director Medical Services with specific objectives relating to the content, accuracy and dissemination of summaries.
Morbidity Coders - Hospital Executive is very conscious of the crucial role of morbidity coders, the significant backlog of work and the current shortage of staff. Training of a wider group of staff in this field is seen to be imperative.
SDS Central Manager Greg Crowe has been asked to talk with ASH & TCH Casemix Co-ordinators regarding strategies for Casemix information sharing across the Central Australia region.
BRONWYN TAYLOR Telephone 517727
ROYAL DARWIN HOSPITAL
Casemix staff continue to press ahead with the preliminaries necessary for the 1 July 1996 implementation of Casemix Funding and Patient Costing at RDH.
On Friday 9 February 1996, a well attended presentation at the RDH Auditorium on the topic 'Project Overviews of the THS Casemix Clinical and Resource Management Project' was delivered by the Project Implementation Management Team. An information booklet, which outlines the THS Casemix Clinical and Resource Management Project, is being despatched to senior managers, clinicians and allied health professionals with an invitation to provide feedback to the project team.
An indicative funding level for RDH using the NT Hospital Funding Model has been developed by the Health
Economics and Resource Allocation Policy Unit and is now being assessed. Cost centre managers will be provided with
tentative 1996/97 department budgets, and requested to identify any deficiencies in the model and report the likely impact on their unit. Casemix and finance staff are available to assist managers in this exercise.
Input was sought from RDH on the development of a generic Chart of Accounts for all NT Hospitals. It is important that sufficient flexibility is maintained to ensure that the information needs of both THS and RDH staff are met while complying with statutory NT Government requirements. However in the longer term it is expected that the principal information needs of hospital department managers will be met from the reports generated through the Financial Management and Patient Costing System.
Tenderers for the supply of software will be conducting product demonstrations commencing the week beginning 4 March 1996 as a part of the tender evaluation process.
LEN SCOTT Telephone 22 8758
KATHERINE HOSPITAL
Katherine Hospital have been reviewing the Hospital Funding Model and closely examining the Resource Allocation for Katherine. The Hospital Manager and other Senior Managers have been working closely with Yuejen Zhao, Senior Project Officer, Health Economics and
Resource Allocation Policy Unit in regard to Casemix Hospital Funding.
Warren Collins is no longer the Casemix Co-Ordinator for the Katherine Region, interviews have recently been held and the successful person will be announced shortly.
(
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MARKETING AND EDUCATION
MARKETING & EDUCATION Co-ORDINATORS
Education has been a high priority during the last few weeks. Various members of the Project Implementation Management Team of the THS Casemix Clinical and Resource Management Project have been presenting the Project Overviews to all hospitals.
The presentations commenced on 31 January 1996 at Tennant Creek Hospital followed by Alice Springs Hospital on 1February1996. The Project Overview was presented to Katherine Hospital on 8 February, Royal Darwin Hospital on 9 February and Gove District Hospital on 12 February 1996.
The presentations were interactive with many questions and answers being exchanged.
The total number of staff who participated in the presentations was 160 and included Hospital Board members, Hospital Executive, Senior Management and a cross-section of staff.
Further presentations will be conducted throughout the Territory and dates are currently being organised. These presentations will include general overviews of Casemix, technical information on the Hospital Funding Model and information on the other major projects.
For further information please telephone Kay Cook on 99 2749 or Jan Marlborough on 99 2634, Marketing and Education Co-Ordinators.
- - -
STOP PRESS ...
!!!!ATTENTION!!!!
ALL COMMUNITY CARE PERSONNEL - DARWIN URBAN AND RURAL
Community Care Information System Workshops will cover Project Status reporting, feedback of information and discussion on requirements of the
Community Care Information System.
Concurrent workshops will be held on 13 March 1996:
Multi-purpose Room, 1st Floor, Health House 10.00 - 12.00 am & 2.00 - 4.00 pm Conference Room, 2nd Floor Casuarina Plaza
10.00 - 12.00 am & 1.00 - 3.00 pm
Your participation in these workshops will ensure that the needs of all Community Care Service providers are properly considered in the
development of this exciting new system.
Please inform Annie Mitchell vie CC Mail of your attendance or further information telephone Annie on 99 7637.
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EXTRAS ....
cc:Mail 2.2
To assist staff in the understanding of the THS Casemix Clinical
&Resource Management Project, a CCMail Bulletin Board has been set up for staff to ask questions, share their concerns or issues and to provide feedback to the project team responsible for the
implementation of the project.
cc:
~
Mail 2.2A 'Casemix' section is placed in the Bulletin Board of CCMail and became effective from Monday 19 February 1996.
cc: Mail 2.2
If
you wish further information contact Kay Cook, Marketing and Education Co-Ordinator on telephone 99 2749.
cc:Mail 2.2 ~
How
WILL CASEMIX FUNDING BE IMPLEMENTED?In March 1995, the Departmental Executive approved the staged development and implementation of a Casemix funding model for NT hospitals.
STAGE! MARCH- JULY 1995
STAGE2 JUNE- JULY 1996
STAGE3 1JULY1996
Develop basic model
Run model parallel to current financial appropriation.
Evaluate and refine models Implement hospital funding model as basis of funding.
The Casemix Hospital Funding Model for Project is a component of THS Casemix
Clinical and Resource Management Project. This project aims to optimise THSoutcomes through the introduction of Casemix funding for NT hospitals.
How
WILL QUALITY OF PATIENT CARE BE PRESERVED?Quality of patient care and equity of access to health services in the NT are issues of primary concern to Territory Health Services. The implementation of Casemix Funding will complement efficiency savings generated through improved quality of patient care. This will happen as hospitals begin to receive more useful information about trends in service demand and better methods of service delivery. The Casemix Hospital Funding Model can help identify quality of care problems through quality performance indicators.
The National Quality Indicators Project (a component of the THS Casemix
Clinical and Resource Management Project) aims to implement systems thatenable monitoring, auditing and reporting of performance in NT Hospitals using National Quality Indicators (NQis) and Outcome Measures.
The establishment of the following medical service quality monitoring systems in all NT hospitals will strengthen quality assurance activities:
• patient satisfaction surveys
• monitoring unplanned readmissions
• monitoring unplanned return to operating theatres
• monitoring hospital acquired infections
Some of the definitions and terms frequently
used in the Casemix Hospital Funding Model
(these terms can also be found in the National Health Data Dictionary)
ADMITTED PATIENT An admitted patient is a patient who undergoes a hospital's formal admission process and meets one of the minimum criteria for same- day or overnight stay patient.
CASEMIX
Casemix is an information tool involving the use of scientific methods to build and make use of classifications of patient care episodes.
EPISODE OF CARE An episode of care is a phase of treatment defined according to acuity of patient. There are currently three types: acute, sub- acute and non-acute.
LENGTII OF STAY Length of stay is the number of days an admitted patient spends in the hospital. The length of stay for a same-day patient is one.
Patient medical travel covers the direct cost of transporting patients, visiting specialists, approved personnel and medical escorts.
The cost classifications are Corpses, Medical Evacuation, Intra Territory Inter-hospital Transfers, Interstate Inter-hospital Transfers, Antenatal Hostel, Public Health Patient Travel, Routine Medical Visits, Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (PATS), PATS-Visiting Specialists and Reproductive Medicine-IVF Travel.
REHABILITATION
An episode of rehabilitation care occurs when a person with a disability is participating in a multi-disciplinary program aimed at an improvement in functional capacity, retraining in lost skills and/or change in psychosocial adaptation.
