The ACC GP MRI pathways support GPs to make direct referrals for high tech imaging (namely MRIs).
Please note this programme of work has been renamed by ACC to General Practitioner Referred Magnetic Resonance Imaging aka GPMRI and will be referred to as this moving forward.
The pathways focus on patients with knee and back (cervical and lumbar spine) injuries. Historically GPs could only refer for a low-tech imaging X-ray or ultrasound, with all high-tech imaging restricted to specialist requests, this is no longer the case. Accredited GPs can now follow nationally ratified guidelines to refer directly to radiology services for MRI investigations. These guidelines have been developed with clinical input from GPs, radiologists and specialists, leveraging existing guidance across New Zealand and Australia.
Your Pinnacle Services Contract applies to this service. By claiming for this service, you have indicated that you have read and agreed to the business rules set out here.
This is NOT a clinical guideline.
Any Pinnacle practice who has an accredited GP(s) using these referral pathways can claim for this service.
Pinnacle is responsible for providing accreditation (practical training) for GPs to use the ACC HTI referral pathways. Their role is also to support referrers and radiology providers through the referral process, to manage service quality through clinical governance and audit functions and reimburse GPs for the services they provide.
GPs must complete practical training in order to be accredited to use these referral pathways. All referrals must be made via the indici™ PMS or, in the case of non-indici™ users, referrals are encouraged to be made by the BPAC eReferral process. Outcome data required by the ACC contract must be completed within indici™. A claim for services provided can be made at the same time as outcome data is provided.
All patients who meet the eligibility criteria of the pathway can have access to this service.
The four clinical pathways can be accessed via the ACC HTI Toolkit.
Patients who do not meet ALL eligibility criteria for a pathway cannot access this service.
There are two potential service fees that can be claimed.
Referral data must be provided as per the referral template in indici™.
Clinical notes in the form of outcome data template completion is required. (Detailed instructions included in practical training session).
The patient will pay the original consultation fee (ACC). The patient will not be charged for the consultation post imaging which will explain the treatment journey moving forward.
The service is funded by ACC.
Petrina Cooper, Strategic Project Lead
petrina.cooper@pinnacle.health.nz
0274 778 852
Diagnostic pathways and referral steps for the ACC GP MRI programme.
To improve efficiency and ease of referral there is now an eRreferral available for Escalated SpineCare (PDF) on the BPAC eReferral platform.
Read moreThe ACC high tech imaging (HTI) pathway supports GPs to make direct referrals for high tech imaging (namely MRIs).
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