Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS Program) with MBS items 73839, 73840 and 73844 (monitoring diabetes) in Medicare 012-40020070

The QAAMS Program provides on-site point-of-care pathology testing to assist in diabetes diagnosis and management for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is a pathology test carried out in a clinical setting at the time of a patient consultation. The test result is used to make an immediate informed clinical decision.

The program is funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

A practice or medical practitioner must be accredited by the QAAMS Program before being recognised by Services Australia to access PoCT MBS items.

Practice Accreditation

The QAAMS Program sends Services Australia the QAAMS Participant Database. The database details practices that are accredited and eligible to participate in QAAMS POCT. It is located on the Resources page.

Medical practitioner accreditation

The QAAMS Program provides training in the use of point-of-care testing for diabetes management for:

• Aboriginal Health Workers, and
• other health professionals

At the end of the training session, trainees undertake a competency assessment. On completion a certificate of competency is issued and valid for 2 years. Competency training must be renewed every 2 years.

Where a certificate of competency is received by Services Australia with the request to access the QAAMS POCT MBS item numbers, recognition to provide QAAMS POCT services is only reflected to the date the certificate of competency is issued to at the requested location.

The Resources page contains an example of a certificate of competency as issued by the QAAMS Program.

A medical practitioner must apply in writing:

• for access to QAAMS POCT items 73839, 73840 or 73844, and
• provide confirmation the eligibility requirements of QAAMS accreditation are satisfied

As there is no application from, the medical practitioner can apply for access to the 3 MBS item numbers via a signed letter.

Processing staff add the relevant specialty code to the requested location only where it can be confirmed:

• the location is listed in the QAAMS Participant Database, or
• the medical practitioner provides a certificate of competency from QAAMS stating they are QAAMS POCT accredited

All other enquiries about requesting access to items 73839, 73840 or 73844 should be directed to the Medicare Provider Registration Team.

The specialty code for the QAAMS Program (diabetes test) is 601.

A Determination by the Minister of the Department of Health and Aged Care allows for payment of Medicare benefits for testing to assist in the diagnosis and management of diabetes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

To make sure quality of testing, the Indigenous health services that perform the QAAMS POCT must participate in the QAAMS Program. The QAAMS Program is administered on behalf of the:

• Department of Health and Aged Care by the Flinders University
• Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute
• International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing, and
• Royal College of Pathologists of Australia (RCPA) Quality Assurance Programs Pty Ltd. This external quality assurance program is specifically developed for point of care pathology testing

The medical practitioner claims the relevant QAAMS POCT MBS item number(s). The testing may be performed by: a medical practitioner or a health professional on behalf of a medical practitioner.

Pathology item 73839 (blood test) Quantitation of HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) performed for the diagnosis of diabetes in asymptomatic patients at high risk. The test must be provided in an Indigenous health service, which participates in a recognised external quality assurance program (QAAMS). The patient is eligible for one test in a 12-month period.

Pathology item 73840 (blood test) is a point-of-care pathology test for the management of established diabetes. The test must be provided in an Indigenous health service which participates in a recognised external quality assurance program (QAAMS). The patient is eligible for a maximum of 4 tests in a 12 month period.

Pathology item (73844) (urine test) is a point-of-care pathology test for the management of established diabetes.

The test must be provided in an Indigenous health service which participates in a recognised external quality assurance program (QAAMS).