A new fact sheet has been published which provides information on how to account for time taken to communicate with patients when claiming time-tiered MBS items. 

Being able to communicate effectively with patients is crucial to achieving clinical outcomes and a key part of a clinical service. A wide range of factors may affect the time needed to communicate effectively with a patient during a consultation. These include, but are not limited to, situations where a language barrier exists between the medical practitioner and patient (including when an interpreter is required), or when a patient has hearing problems, difficulty with speech, an intellectual disability, and/or dementia.  

When claiming for time-tiered MBS items, the total consultation time involved includes the time required to communicate effectively with the patient. Should more time than usual be required to communicate effectively with a particular patient, it is considered reasonable to claim a longer attendance item than might otherwise be expected for the service. This applies to both face-to-face and telehealth services.