All clinical services, regardless of their mode of delivery, should be underpinned by a sustainable funding model. Robust reporting about clinical activity is also crucial.
When implementing virtual care into an existing service, or establishing a new service model, plan and have early discussions about resourcing and the associated costs, before introducing virtual care. Funding arrangements should not act as a disincentive to the use of virtual care.
Your virtual care manager or lead may be able to provide information and support about processes in your local organisation.
Reporting clinical activity for non-admitted care
Clinicians must correctly report all clinical activity, including the mode of delivery. This will:
- define the level of care provided to the client
- inform the organisation about the required staffing levels
- support appropriate planning and resourcing for future service needs.
Every organisation across NSW Health has key performance indicators (KPIs) for the use of virtual care. Incentives are also put in place to encourage adoption and reporting of virtual care activity.
This is captured by selecting the mode of delivery when reporting the clinical activity, as per local processes. All NSW Health providers participating in the consultation must report their activity, by the mode. If there are multiple virtual modes used, such as videoconferencing and telephone, report as 'audio-visual' modality. The table below outlines the different service delivery modes.
For more information, speak with your virtual care manager or lead or performance team; or access resources available on the NSW Health Activity Based Management Hub SharePoint (NSW Health staff only).
Service delivery mode | Definition |
|---|---|
Audio-visual: clinician end | The method used by clinicians to communicate with the consumer by videoconference. The two parties involved in the service are not located in the same physical area. |
Audio-visual: consumer end with clinician | Consumer and clinician who are receiving a videoconference are at a different location to the provider, e.g. a specialist. |
Audio-visual: consumer end with administration support only | Services provided to a consumer at a NSW Health facility accessing care via videoconference, with the support of administration staff. |
Audio: clinician end | The method used by clinicians to communicate with the consumer by audio-based communication. The two parties involved in the service are not located in the same physical area. |
Audio: consumer end with clinician | Consumer and clinician who are receiving an audio-based communication are at a different location to the provider, e.g. a specialist. |
The method used by clinicians to communicate with the consumer (or his/her proxy) is electronic mail (email). The two parties involved in the service are not located in the same physical area. | |
Other technology: not elsewhere classified | The method used by a clinician to interact with the consumer is telemonitoring (remote monitoring) or any other technology not elsewhere classified. |
If the reporting system you use doesn't have the modality options identified in the above table, contact your virtual care manager or lead who can help to make these options available.
Recording financial class for virtual care activity
Use the information in the above table to record virtual care consults for all financial classes. Select the relevant financial class, as you would for in-person activity. Virtual care can occur, regardless of financial class.
In addition, if your service bills Medicare for the purpose of activity reporting, follow the same process for virtual care. Enter the virtual care item numbers, as you would for in-person care.
Medicare funding
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) can change based on government decisions and policy updates. It is important for healthcare providers to stay informed about the latest guidelines and requirements.
Contact your virtual care manager or lead to access information and support with your services and how the MBS may be used to enhance your service.
More information is available on the Services Australia website.