Home > For Health Professionals > Services > Diagnostic Imaging

Diagnostic Imaging

The Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme

This website contains information for practices seeking accreditation under the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme (the Scheme).

In June 2007, legislation was enacted to amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 to establish a diagnostic imaging accreditation scheme under which mandatory accreditation would be linked to the payment of Medicare benefits for diagnostic imaging services in the Diagnostic Imaging Services Table (DIST).

Staged Implementation

The Scheme was introduced in stages. Stage I of the Scheme commenced on 1 July 2008 and covered practices providing diagnostic imaging services in the DIST with the exception of practices providing cardiac ultrasound and angiography, obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound and nuclear medicine imaging services.

Stage II of the Scheme was introduced from 1 July 2010, broadening the scope of the Scheme to include practices providing cardiac ultrasound and angiography, obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound, and nuclear medicine imaging services.

Diagnostic imaging practices that entered under Stage II of the Scheme, and were granted accreditation against entry level standards on or before 30 June 2011, were granted two years to achieve accreditation against the full suite of practice standards. If your practice falls in this category, your deadline to achieve accreditation against the full suite of standards will occur on or before 30 June 2013. Please contact your accreditor if you require assistance.

Practices that have entered the Scheme since 1 July 2011 must achieve accreditation against the full suite of practice standards within 2 years of entering the scheme.

Practices awarded accreditation against the full suite of standards will enter the accreditation maintenance program, which requires them to be re-accredited every four years.

Practices that are not accredited under the Scheme cannot provide Medicare funded diagnostic imaging services, and must inform clients prior to carrying out these services. It is an offence under the Health Insurance Act 1973 for you to not notify patients that your practice is not accredited and a Medicare benefit is not payable, before providing diagnostic imaging services.

Accreditation Standards

The current Practice Accreditation Standards consist of three Entry Level Practice Accreditation Standards and/or the Full Suite of fifteen Practice Accreditation Standards. The Practice Accreditation Standards will determine the accreditation requirements for practices wishing to provide Medicare eligible diagnostic imaging services.

Online version of Practice Accreditation Standards
Printable version of Practice Accreditation Standards (PDF 69 KB)

For further information about the Practice Accreditation Standards and the Scheme, please go to the Information Resources page of this site.

If you require further information or advice, please contact your accreditor.

Practices seeking further information from the Department of Health and Ageing may wish to email the Diagnostic Imaging and Accreditation Inbox.

If you are a practice seeking accreditation under the Scheme, you must apply for accreditation against either entry level or the full suite of standards under the Stage II Scheme. The first step is to choose an accreditor and contact them for further instruction.

Approved Accreditors for the Scheme

There are three accreditors for the Scheme.

Your practice may choose one of the following accreditors:

Website: Health and Disability Auditing Australia
Phone: 1800 601 696

Website: National Association of Testing Authorities Australia
Phone: 1800 621 666

Website: Quality in Practice
Phone: 1300 888 329

If further information or advice is required, practices can email Diagnostic Imaging and Accreditation Inbox.

For further information about approved accreditors and how practices may select and change their accreditor, please go to the Information Resources page page of this site.