The Intellectual Disability Health Assessment
Changes to Health Assessment Items – effective from 1 May 2010
New item numbers for Health Assessments for people with Intellectual Disability:
New item numbers |
New item names |
New fee |
|---|---|---|
701 |
Brief Health Assessment of less than 30 minutes duration |
$55.00 |
703 |
Standard Health Assessment lasting more than 30 minutes but less than 45 minutes |
$127.80 |
705 |
Long Health Assessment lasting more than 45 minutes but less than 60 minutes |
$176.30 |
707 |
Prolonged Health Assessment lasting more than 60 minutes |
$249.10 |
These item numbers have replaced items 718 and 719.
The new items numbers recognise the health vulnerabilities of this group and the proven benefit of having systematic review of the health problems and also allow GPs to work with practice nurses.
Information about these new items is also available on the Department of Health and Ageing website (pdf).
Health Check FORM - Medicare Health Assessment for People with Intellectual Disability (doc)
A Guide to Primary Health Care of Patients with an Intellectual Disability
Our research has shown that this group sees their GP about 5 times a year but usually for immunisation or medication review. Doctors need more time to fully assess and manage some of the complex issues found in this patient group.
These new health assessment items will encourage GPs to review health problems in people with intellectual disability identified in the consensus statement available at:
http://www.iassid.org/pdf/healthguidelines-2002.pdf
Areas to be covered in the item include dental health, hearing, vision, nutrition, bladder and bowel function, medications, immunisations, daily living skills, breast, testicular examinations and PAP smears (when these apply), dysphagia, vitamin D deficiency, mental health review , epilepsy status, thyroid (in Down syndrome), sexual health and review for signs of abuse. Resources like the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) (Lennox et al,) are currently being used by government and non government agencies to collect health information and can be used in conjunction with these new items. At the Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria we are already working with practice nurses and GPs to develop training packages and resource materials to support general practitioners and practice nurses in the roll out of this new item. Useful materials including information packages on the different causes of intellectual disability and blank sheets for patient held records are available on the CDDHV website.
The NSW Council for Intellectual Disability has prepared information for general practitioners about medical and allied health services for people with intellectual disabilities.
