MBS Review Taskforce Newsletter

MBS Review Taskforce Newsletter Message from the Chair

Welcome to the fourth issue of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Newsletter. I’m very pleased to report that the first tranche of clinical committees are finalising their initial recommendations, and in some cases, focusing on MBS items where they see the need for improvements and where there are wide variations in practice. The first committees include Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgery; Obstetrics; Thoracic Medicine; and Gastroenterology. Their recommendations will be available for public consultation. The Diagnostic Imaging and Pathology committees will continue through the year as they represent a very large component of MBS items. Following the commencement of the second tranche of committees (see below) we expect that around 20 more clinical committees plus additional working groups will review MBS services relevant to their disciplines. I expect that we will have more than 500 clinicians directly involved in the review – and I’m extremely pleased to see such engagement and commitment from the profession. I’m also pleased that health consumers are contributing to the deliberations of the Review through participation in clinical committees, the Taskforce, as well as consultation forums. The insights and experiences of patients, and their carers, will help us discontinue low-value care and ensure that high-value services underpin the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Bruce Robinson

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list please email [email protected] Clinical committee update The first committees will soon finalise their recommendations and release for public consultation. Here are some of the items being considered.  Diagnostic Imaging CC has set up working groups on knee imaging, imaging for pulmonary embolism and DVT, bone densitometry, and nuclear medicine.  The ENT committee has completed its priority review of tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and grommet surgery.  Gastroenterology has prioritised reviews of colonoscopies, Upper GI endoscopy and capsule endoscopies.  The Obstetrics Committee is reviewing the items to align better with clinical practice and eliminating ambiguous item descriptors.  Sleep studies and Spirometry are the priority reviews for the thoracic Medicine Committee. Appropriate Use Criteria The Taskforce considered a paper by Professor Elshaug of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, and agreed to adopt ‘Appropriate Use Criteria’ to guide MBS item review and refinement. This will mean that from now on clinical committees will adopt a consistent methodology for evaluating MBS items. The Review requires detailed clinical deliberations and judgements to be properly documented and form the basis for better articulated revisions to MBS item descriptors and fees. Obsolete items Thank you to all those who provided comments on the MBS items that clinical committees identified as obsolete. Your feedback was extremely valuable on the 23 items recommended for removal from the MBS. The clinical committees and the Taskforce have reviewed the feedback, and have made recommendations to Government.

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list please email [email protected] Conferences and presentations

Around 40 people from medical colleges and associations received an update on the progress of the MBS Review. Review Chair Bruce Robinson spoke of how the Taskforce will manage the workload of reviewing over 5,700 items, the vital role of the clinical committees, and the extensive data and evidence reviews already being analysed. He spoke of the importance of reducing low-value health care to make room within the MBS for high-value care that is to the benefit of patients, and to the health care system more generally. Throughout 2016 there will be regular consultations and public consultation will follow recommendations from Clinical Committees. That feedback will be considered by the clinical committees and taskforce before recommendations are made. The Taskforce will continue its engagement across the health sector through a series of stakeholder forums, and through presentations and Q&A sessions at health sector conferences. If you’d like to hear in more detail about the work of the MBS Review Taskforce, please let us know by emailing the MBS Reviews Unit.

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list please email [email protected] New Clinical Committees announced The second tranche of Clinical Committees has commenced their work and were welcomed by the Taskforce Chair at their formal induction. The committees are: Cardiac Services; Dermatology, Allergy & Immunology; Endocrinology; Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine; Oncology, and Renal. Typically the committee’s work will take six to nine months including intensive review, public consultations and recommendations to the Taskforce and Minister.

From left: Dr Bruce Barraclough, Prof Alan Cass, Dr Richard Harper, Prof Bruce Robinson, Dr Sally McCarthy, Dr Stephen Schumack (Prof Jonathan Serpell attended by phone). Cardiac Services Chair: Dr Richard Harper Associate Professor Andrew MacIsaac Dr David Muller Professor Derek Chew Professor Tom Marwick Associate Professor John Atherton Dr Ruth Arnold Professor Paul Bannon Associate Professor Jayme Bennetts Dr Ian Scott Professor Mark Harris Dr Daniel Moses Ms Karen Carey

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list please email [email protected] Dermatology, Allergy & Immunology Chair: Dr Stephen Shumack Dr Elizabeth Willsteed Dr Phillip Bekhor Dr David Heyworth-Smith Professor Morton Rawlin Dr Joanne Smart Dr Charles Cope Mr Adam Friederich Endocrinology Chair: Professor Jonathan Serpell Professor Timothy Davis Professor Duncan Topliss Associate Professor Roderick Clifton-Bligh Professor Stan Sidhu Dr Christopher Pyke Mr Peter Malycha Dr Suzanne Silberberg Dr Allan Wycherly Ms Helen Maxwell-Wright Ms Janne Graham Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine Chair: Dr Sally McCarthy Membership yet to be confirmed

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list please email [email protected] Oncology Chair: Dr Bruce Barraclough Dr Liz Kenny Professor Michael Barton Professor Christobel Saunders Ms Maree Bransdon Dr Bruce Latham Professor Sandra O'Toole Associate Professor Roslyn Francis Dr Elizabeth Marles Dr Justin Tse Professor John Zalcberg Professor David Thomas Associate Professor Chris Milros Dr Catherine Mandel Professor Guy Maddern Dr Mustafa Khasraw Dr Phillip Carson Professor Sanchia Aranda Mr John Stubbs Ms Kathy Wells Professor Bruce Mann

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list please email [email protected] Renal Medicine Chair: Professor Alan Cass Ms Alison Marcus Dr Paul Snelling Professor Peter Kerr Associate Professor Martin Gallagher Professor Matthew Jose Professor Stephen McDonald Dr Troy Kay Dr Amanda Walker Professor Tim Usherwood Professor Kirsten Howard Dr Neil Boudville Associate Professor Robyn Langham For more information If you’d like an update on the work of the MBS Review Taskforce, please let us know by emailing the MBS Reviews Unit or visiting the website.

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