Diagnostic Imaging
New or non-accredited practices seeking accreditation for the first time from 1 July 2010
Information for new or non-accredited practices seeking first-time accreditation under the Scheme
These practices must apply for accreditation with a single accreditor of their choice under the Scheme against either:
i) entry level Practice Accreditation Standards or
ii) the full suite of Practice Accreditation Standards.
Downloadable version of Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme - Standards (PDF 69 KB).
Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme – Standards
Note: References to the relevant State or Territory legislation that provides for the professional standards or documentation referred to below are provided in Part 5 of this Schedule.Part 1 Registration and Licensing Standards
Standard 1.1
The proprietor of a diagnostic imaging practice ensures that its staff or contractors and any other practitioners providing services to the practice have and maintain the appropriate and current registration and/or licence to undertake the diagnostic imaging procedures for which accreditation is sought in the State or Territory.Documentary Evidence
Where relevant, the proprietor of the diagnostic imaging practice must provide:
Certified copies of State or Territory Medical Board Registration, or a registration number, for all medical practitioners employed by or providing services to the diagnostic imaging practice.
- Certified copies of each medical practitioner's State or Territory radiation operator’s licence, or a licence number.
- Certified copies of each radiographer's State or Territory registration documentation, or a registration number, if required in the State or Territory.
- Certified copies of the *diagnosti c imaging practice's radiographers’ or other nonmedical imaging practitioners’ State or Territory radiation operator’s licence, or a licence number, if required in the State or Territory.
- Certified copies of each sonographer's statement of registration on the Register of Accredited Sonographers or a registration number.
- Certified copies of each nurse's registration documentation or a registration number.
- Certified copies of a radiology medical physicist’s State or Territory radiation operator’s license, or licence number, if required in the State or Territory.
Part 2 Safety Standards
Standard 2.1
The proprietor of a diagnostic imaging practice ensures that the practice complies with the requirements of the current State or Territory radiation safety legislation.
Documentary Evidence
The proprietor of the diagnostic imaging practice must provide:
- Certified copies of current Environmental Protection Authority or similar equipment licences and registrations or registration numbers.
- Copies of radiation safety plans where required by State or Territory radiation safety legislation.
Part 3 Equipment Standards
Standard 3.1
The proprietor of a diagnostic imaging practice ensures that the practice maintains a current equipment inventory.
Documentary Evidence
The proprietor of the diagnostic imaging practice must provide an equipment inventory which demonstrates that the practice uses equipment that complies with specifications outlined in the Medicare Benefits Schedule and includes information relating to:
- name of item, manufacturer, serial number (or other identifier); and
- registration on the Diagnostic Imaging Register (including citation of the relevant Location Specific Practice Number (LSPN)).
Top of Page
Part 4 Provision of Services Standards
Standard 4.1
diagnostic imaging procedures are only undertaken at the diagnostic imaging where there is an identified clinical need and:
- upon receipt of a request from a medical practitioner or a practitioner specified in the Act for the purpose of requesting services of that kind and for which a Medicare benefit is payable; or
- where the practitioner interpreting the image is permitted to self determine the service for which a Medicare benefit is payable under the Act.
Documentary Evidence
The proprietor of the diagnostic imaging practice must provide a representative sample of requests for diagnostic imaging procedures or patient records indicating the clinical need for the service.
Top of Page
Standard 4.2
The diagnostic imaging practice only substitutes diagnostic imaging procedures:
- where appropriate for the diagnosis of a patient’s medical condition; and
- where generally accepted on the basis of diagnostic imaging medical opinion; and
- where permitted by the Act and subordinate legislation for the payment of a Medicare benefit for that service.
Documentary Evidence
The proprietor of the diagnostic imaging practice must either provide:
- written records of consultations or attempted consultations with referring practitioners outlining the justification for substituted diagnostic imaging procedures; or
- if no diagnostic imaging procedures were substituted in the preceding 12 months at the diagnostic imaging practice, a written policy indicating when a diagnostic imaging procedure would be substituted and how the diagnostic imaging practice would ensure compliance with the Act.
Part 5 References to the relevant State or Territory legislation as it relates to the Standards and supporting documentation
Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards - Standard 1.1
The proprietor of a diagnostic imaging practice ensures that its staff or contractors have the appropriate registration and/or licence to undertake the diagnostic imaging procedures for which accreditation is sought in the State or Territory.
| Documentary Evidence | Relevant State / Territory / Commonwealth Legislation |
|---|---|
| (a) | ACT - Health Professionals Act 2004 NSW - Medical Practice Act 1992 NT - Health Practitioners Act 2004 QLD - Medical Practitioners Registration Act 2001 SA - Medical Practice Act 2004 TAS - Medical Practitioners Registration Act 1996 VIC - Health Professions Registration Act 2005 WA - Medical Act 1984 |
| (b) | ACT - Radiation Protection Act 2006 and Radiation Protection Regulation 2007 NSW - Radiation Control Act 1990 and Radiation Control Regulations 2003 NT - Radiation (Safety Control) Act 1978 (note this Act is to be repealed at a future date as a result of the Radiation Protection Act 2004 – see the transitional provisions) QLD - Radiation Safety Control Act 1999 and Radiation Safety Regulation 1999 SA - Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982, Radiation and Control (ionising Radiation) Regulations 2000 TAS - Radiation Protection Act 2005, Radiation Protection Regulations 2006 VIC - Radiation Act 2005 and Radiation Regulations 2007 WA - Radiation Safety Act 1975 |
| (c) | ACT - N/A (no Registration Board) NSW - N/A (no Registration Board) NT - Radiographers Act (NT) 1976 (note this Act is to be repealed at a future date as a result of the Radiation Protection Act 2004 – see the transitional provisions) QLD - Medical Radiation Technologists Registration Act 2001 and the Medical Radiation Technologists Registration Regulation 2002 and the Health Practitioners (Professional Standards) Act 1999 SA - N/A (no Registration Board) TAS - Medical Radiation Science Professionals Registration Act 2000 VIC - Health Professions Registration Act 2005 and Health (Medical Radiation Technologists Regulations 1997) WA - Medical Radiation Technologists Act 2006 |
| (d) | Cth - Health Insurance Act 1973 and Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2005 |
| (e) | ACT - Radiation Protection Act 2006 and Radiation Protection Regulations 2007 NSW - Radiation Control Act 1990 and Radiation Control Regulations 2003 NT - Exempt under the Radiation (Safety Control) Act 1978 where use and operation of irradiating apparatus is in accordance with the Radiographers Act (note both Acts are in the transition period and are to be repealed at a future date by the Radiation Protection Act 2004 which is already in force and which does not contain this exemption). QLD - Radiation Safety Control Act 1999 and Radiation Safety Regulation 1999 SA - Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 and Radiation and Control (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2000 TAS - Radiation Protection Act 2005, Radiation Protection Regulations 2006 VIC - Radiation Act 2005 and Radiation Regulations 2007 WA - Radiation Safety Act 1975 |
| (f) | ACT - Health Professionals ACT 2004 and the Health Professionals Regulation 2004 NSW - Nurses and Midwives Act 1991 NT - Health Practitioners Act 2004 QLD - Nursing Act 1992 SA - Nurses Act 1999 TAS - Nursing Act 1995 VIC - Health Professions Registration Act 2005 WA - Nurses and Midwives Act 2006 |
| (g) | ACT - Radiation Protection Act 2006 and Radiation Protection Regulation 2007 NSW - Radiation Control Act 1990 and Radiation Control Regulations 2003 NT - Radiation (Safety Control) Act 1978 (note this Act is to be repealed at a future date as a result of the Radiation Protection Act 2004 – see the transitional provisions) QLD - Radiation Safety Control Act 1999 and Radiation Safety Regulation 1999 SA - Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982, Radiation and Control (ionising Radiation) Regulations 2000 TAS - Radiation Protection Act 2005, Radiation Protection Regulations 2006 VIC - Radiation Act 2005 and Radiation Regulations 2007 WA - Radiation Safety Act 1975 and Radiation (General) Regulations 1983 |
Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards - Standard 2.1
The proprietor of a diagnostic imaging practice ensures that the practice complies with the requirements of the current radiation safety legislation in the State or Territory.
| Documentary Evidence | Relevant State / Territory / Commonwealth Legislation |
|---|---|
| (a) - (b) | ACT - s.119 Radiation Protection Act 2006 and Radiation Protection Regulations 2007 NSW - s. 36 Radiation Control Act 1990 and Radiation Control Regulations 2003 NT - s.81 Radiation Protection Act 2004 QLD - s.198 Radiation Safety Control Act 1999 and Radiation Safety Regulation 1999 SA - s. 49 Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 and Radiation and Control (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2000 TAS - s. 76 Radiation Protection Act 2005, Radiation Protection Regulations 2006 VIC - s.131 Radiation Act 2005 and Radiation Regulations 2007 WA - s.50 Radiation Safety Act 1975 and Radiation (General) Regulations 1983 |
Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards - Standard 3.1
The proprietor of a diagnostic imaging practice ensures that the practice maintains a current equipment inventory.
| Documentary Evidence | Relevant State / Territory / Commonwealth Legislation |
|---|---|
| (a) | Cth - Medicare Benefits Schedule a separate document created pursuant to the Health Insurance Act 1973 |
Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards - Standard 4.1
Diagnostic imaging procedures are only undertaken at the diagnostic imaging practice where there is an identified clinical need and:
- upon receipt of a request from a medical practitioner or a practitioner specified in the Act for the purpose of requesting services of that kind and for which a medicare benefit is payable: or
- where the practitioner interpreting the image is permitted to self determine the service under the Act.
Documentary Evidence Relevant State / Territory / Commonwealth Legislation (a) Cth - Health Insurance Act 1973
Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards - Standard 4.2
Diagnostic imaging services for which diagnostic imaging procedures are undertaken at the diagnostic imaging premises are substituted only where appropriate for the diagnosis for a patient’s medical condition, where generally accepted on the basis of diagnostic imaging medical opinion and where permitted by the Act and subordinate legislation for the payment of a medicare benefit for the service.
| Documentary Evidence | Relevant State / Territory / Commonwealth Legislation |
|---|---|
| (a) | Cth - Medicare Benefits Schedule to the Health Insurance Act 1973 |
Guidelines to help practices comply with the Practice Accreditation Standards are available from the Diagnostic Imaging Information Resources page.
Practices awarded entry level accreditation will need to apply for and be awarded accreditation against the full suite of standards within 24 months. Practices awarded accreditation against the full suite of standards will then need to be re-accredited every 4 years as part of the accreditation maintenance program.
More information for new or non-accredited practices seeking accreditation from 1 July 2010 can also be found on the Diagnostic Imaging Information Resources page.
Help with accessing large documents
When accessing large documents (over 500 KB in size), it is recommended that the following procedure be used:
- Click the link with the RIGHT mouse button
- Choose "Save Target As.../Save Link As..." depending on your browser
- Select an appropriate folder on a local drive to place the downloaded file
Attempting to open large documents within the browser window (by left-clicking)
may inhibit your ability to continue browsing while the document is
opening and/or lead to system problems.
Help with accessing PDF documents
To view PDF (Portable Document Format) documents, you will need to have a PDF reader installed on your computer. A number of PDF readers are available through the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) Web Guide website.
