We’re excited to announce that we have partnered with REFR – an Aussie platform that connects patients with GP referrals and Medicare-funded services.
The aim is to help you access necessary scans, imaging and other services quickly, while enabling you to use Medicare rebates and reduce out-of-pocket costs. This would apply not only to xrays but US, CT, MRI and more.
This service helps reduce delays in your treatments and gives you the best financial outcomes.
Why Can’t My Physio Refer Under Medicare?
In Australia, only certain health professionals can issue “requests” under Medicare for diagnostic imaging. The rules define what must be included: name, provider number, description of service etc. and physiotherapists are limited to plain xrays on certain areas of the body for Medicare-funded diagnostic imaging.
Some imaging may be Medicare-eligible when referred/requested by allied health (physios/osteopaths), but only in specific body regions (spine, hips, pelvis etc.). But in many cases, we’re limited to certain conditions, caps and restrictions.
This means that usually patients will see us, we will tell them they need a scan or whatever it may be, then they will have to see their GP or specialist in order to get referred under Medicare. Because of our training and expertise often seeing a physio who will perform a detailed assessment is still the best place to start for an accurate clinical diagnosis.
However, we’d like to see the referral stages become quicker so patients can get the scans they need. REFR helps with this.
Benefits Of Using REFR
To explain why REFR matters (and where gaps remain), here’s the main issues REFR solves.
- Restricted scope: Physios often can’t directly refer beyond certain minimal body areas or imaging types. This means they often have to send patients back to GPs for the request. REFR solves this issue by speeding up the time to see a GP.
- Out-of-pocket costs: If a physio refers or orders imaging that is not eligible (or technically allowed under Medicare rules), the patient may have to pay full cost. That’s higher expense and delay risk, whereas with REFR you’ll go via Medicare first time.
- Delays & duplication: The patient path is quite long in normal cases – first to physio, then to GP, then imaging. This may delay diagnosis/treatment vs REFR which can work within 24 hours.
- Advocacy for reform: The Australian Physiotherapy Association is pushing for “direct referrals” reform, i.e. allowing physios to refer more broadly (especially for musculoskeletal imaging) under Medicare, so that patients don’t always need a GP in between. But in the meantime a platform like REFR can speed up the process and give patients easier access to Medicare.
What REFR offers
REFR brings a lot to the table in light of these issues.
- Provides a system interface for GPs to send referral requests more efficiently, streamlining the paperwork or process.
- Helps patients find providers where the GP’s referrals and requests can be used to claim the Medicare rebate.
- Helps reduce delays, mis-referrals, or missed rebate opportunities.
How patients use REFR
- A patient is seen by a clinician (often a physio, allied health, etc.). The physio identifies that imaging (scan / X-ray / MRI etc.) is needed.
- Instead of sending the patient off to get a GP appointment solely for the referral, the clinician uses REFR while the patient is still in the room.
- The patient is then linked via the REFR platform to a GP for a (usually quick) Telehealth consult. The GP reviews the information, checks the draft referral/request, signs off on it. In many cases this happens within minutes.
- Once the referral is approved, the patient can proceed to book the scan/imaging via a provider that accepts the referral. REFR aims to speed up both getting the GP request and arranging the imaging.
Got questions about REFR? Chat to one of our team today and book an appointment via our contact page.