As part of the Rheumatic fever prevention programme, free throat swabs can be offered to eligible populations with suspected Group A streptococcal throat infections. Read more about rheumatic fever on Te Whatu Ora's website.
PHARMAC has increased the amount of certain antibiotics that practitioners can obtain through a Practitioner Supply Order (PSO), as part of the Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme (RFPP).
These medications will be dispensed free to the patient in accordance with the clinical protocol via a PSO.
This service is part of the Advanced Primary Options programme.
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.
All Pinnacle practices in Tairāwhiti region can claim for this service.
General practitioners and nurses are able to provide patients with a free throat swab service if the patient meets the following criteria:
The episode of care ends when the outcome and claim are submitted.
Payment will be made once an outcome has been lodged for the case.
Each sore throat swab will require a new claim.
Please make your claim via Primary Options, select RF Throat Swab - Eligible Population or RF Throat Swab - Household Contact and then attach the appropriate invoice(s).
Prices are GST inclusive.
RF throat swab: $19
The claim for a throat swab for a patient who meets criteria for eligible population or who meets the criteria for household contact.
Submit your referral via Primary Options by selecting the appropriate service from the following:
Once the result for the swab is received, please lodge an ‘Outcome’ for the case.
Due to reporting requirements, the result of the swab needs to be included as well as the name of the antibiotic prescribed if the result of the swab is positive.
Payment for the swab cannot be made until the outcome has been lodged with the required information.
Practices are required to provide sufficiently detailed consultation notes to determine appropriate use of funding.
It has been recommended that in addition to a good assessment and history, the full range of appropriate observations should be documented.
If there are any RF sore throat swab referrals with missing outcomes or the notes submitted do not contain the swab result and/or antibiotics prescribed, the team will call the practice in order to complete the report.
No. No co-payment can be charged to the patient.
The service is funded by Te Whatu Ora
Primary options team, Pinnacle Midlands Health Network
infoprimaryoptions@pinnacle.health.nz
027 687 7312
Quick guides to assist practices with identifying eligibility criteria;invoices that can be claimed; managing claims and providing assistance with understanding remittance reports
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