Continuous ambulatory blood pressure recording for 24 hours or more for a…

Treatment plan guidelines for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

To fulfil the treatment plan of item 11607, a comprehensive written plan must be prepared describing:

a.    the patient's diagnosis;

b.    management goals with which the patient agrees;

c.     appropriate interventions including lifestyle modification;

d.    treatment the patient may need; and

f.     arrangements to review the plan by a date specified in the plan.

In preparing the plan, the medical practitioner must:

a.     explain to the patient and the patient's carer (if any, and if the medical practitioner considers it appropriate and the patient agrees) the steps involved in preparing the plan; and

b.    record the plan; and

c.     record the patient's agreement to the preparation of the plan; and

d.    offer a copy of the plan to the patient and the patient's carer (if any, and if the medical practitioner considers it appropriate and the patient agrees); and

e.     add a copy of the plan to the patient's medical records.

Additional Claiming Guidelines for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring:

Blood pressure monitoring equipment:

Both the in-clinic blood pressure monitor and the ambulatory blood monitoring equipment (cuff and monitor) used for services under item 11607 must be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, with monitoring devices recalibrated at time intervals as per the manufacturer's recommendations.

Claiming separate consultations:

If a consultation is for the purpose of an Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring treatment plan, a separate and additional consultation should not be undertaken in conjunction with the Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring consultation, unless it is clinically indicated that a separate problem must be treated immediately.

Where a separate consultation is undertaken in conjunction with an Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring consultation, the patient's invoice or Medicare voucher (assignment of benefit agreement) for the separate consultation should be annotated (e.g. separate consultation clinically required/indicated).