Medicare items for palliative care
- 2710, 2712, 2713 GP Mental health care plan, review and consultation
- 721, 725 Preparing and reviewing a GP management plan
- 723, 727 Coordination, development of and reviews of team care arrangements
- 729, 731 Contribution to or review of a multidisciplinary care plan
- 740, 742, 744, 759, 762, 765 Case conferencing - outpatient (GP items)
- 734, 736, 738, 775, 778, 779 Case conferencing – aged care residents (GP items)
- 820- 838 Case conference involving a palliative care physician
- 900, 903 Domiciliary medication management review, residential medication management review.
For detailed information go to MBS Online.
Case conferencing
As a GP, you don’t have to 'do it all'. Case conferencing can be an efficient strategy to coordinate care. A case conference can be set up by the practice manager or nurse, or by the palliative care service.
Teleconferencing is an option for GPs who are unable to physically attend a case conference.
Who should participate
The meeting could include the community nurse, members of the palliative care team, the GP, any other health care workers who are involved, and perhaps the practice nurse. The patient and their main carers should participate as well.
What could be addressed
Depending on the context, the following issues may be relevant:
- Who is to provide ongoing assessment of symptoms, and how that will occur?
- Who is to provide ongoing prescriptions and any concerns about access to medications?
- Who the community nurses should liaise with?
- Identify who should be contacted if the patient has a problem or crisis
- Arrangements for review after hours
- Arrangements for admission to hospital or palliative care unit if needed
- Who will visit and certify the death if the patient dies at home?
Return to GP home page
This page was created on 26 May 2009 and is due for review in May 2011.*