Professional Services Review helps patients

A review of the Professional Services Review (PSR) Scheme has found that it continues to provide a safeguard for patients against inappropriate medical practice.

The PSR plays an important role in protecting the integrity of Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme by investigating instances where inappropriate practices may have occurred. It may impose sanctions on those found to have practised inappropriately.

The report recommends retaining the scheme, including the concept of ‘peer review’ that underpins it. It recommends the appointment of an advisory committee, and broadening the scheme to include allied health practitioner services eligible for Medicare benefits.

Between 1999-2000 and 2005-06, PSR considered 313 cases of possible inappropriate practice. This resulted in savings to Medicare of $4.3 million in benefits repaid and an estimated $12.9 million in benefits not paid due to partial or full disqualification from Medicare eligibility.

Health practitioners covered by the PSR include medical and dental practitioners, podiatrists, chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists and optometrists.