Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2003/1800 IMSICK

Health service for ADF personnel within Australia on free call 1800 467 425

By Joint Health Support Agency

A toll free after-hours nationwide 1-800 telephone health advisory service is available for all permanent Australian Defence Force members within Australia.

This service, managed by the Joint Health Support Agency, allows ADF personnel to discuss health concerns with trained health staff over the phone and to receive immediate advice as to where they need to go to receive appropriate investigations and treatment.

What are the aims of this service? The aim of this telephone advice and information service is to make ADF health services more accessible, facilitate service delivery closer to where people live or are on holiday, and ensure that members are receiving treatment that is appropriate.

It also enables the member's parent unit to properly follow up treatment regimes and to verify accounts. The service streamlines the authorisation process for ADF members seeking out-of-hours health care, making it a worry free and simple procedure at what may be a stressful time.

How does the telephone service operate? The service operates from the nearest ADF health facility, utilising duty health personnel and on call Medical Officers. When a member is ill or injured away from the work place, and out of normal working hours, they simply have to call 1-800- 467425.

The call will be automatically diverted to the nearest ADF health facility. The duty health personnel will note the member's personal details, unit and any relevant clinical details.

What happens next? After taking your details, the health staff member will decide on a plan to best help you. This may include:

• taking your contact phone number and having a Medical or Dental Officer contact you directly, or
• advising you on a number of treatment facilities in your immediate area, which are accessible (you may even make a suggestion if you have extensive local knowledge), and
• issuing of a referral number (ifrequired) that will be used to authorise treatment and track expenditure.

Often advice and reassurance is all that is needed. If you need to attend a local civilian health provider, or even a military health provider, then you will be asked to contact the 1-800-467425 number on completion of treatment to advise the duty personnel of treatment outcomes.

Frequently asked questions How do I pay? This depends. Many providers will be aware that they are ADF preferred and will invoice you and you can present the bill to your Sickbay, RAP or Heath Services Flight. If you are required to pay up front you should keep the receipt and seek reimbursement.

Your contact with an ADF health facility, and use of the 1800 number, will ensure prompt reimbursement. (Always give the provider the AHS address and referral number as a point of contact and for billing purposes.)

What if I have no available cash? If you feel that you may have difficulty meeting treatment costs, you should inform the Duty Health Staff at an ADF health facility and they will fax or phone an undertaking to the provider that the ADF will meet the cost of treatment.

What about medications? Unfortunately the cost of medications may have to be paid for by the member and reimbursement sought. If you feel that you may have difficulty meeting treatment costs, you follow the same procedure as in the above paragraph. Remember to keep the referral number given to speed reimbursement.

If I am physically unable to get to a medical facility, who pays for transport? The ADF, not the Health Facility, will meet the provisions of payment for transport costs to a medical appointment in cases where the member physically cannot get the health facility.

Where the member is not in the position to make prior arrangements, they should retain receipts and seek reimbursement under these appropriate provisions.

If the member's financial situation precludes payment for transport to a health facility and the Duty Health Staff accept that the situation warrants medical attention, both approval and arrangements will be made to use a patient transport vehicle (ambulance), if available.

What if I have a repeat script? You will only be reimbursed for the initial script. Any repeats are to be obtained through a service pharmacy.

What if I do not use the 1800 number? Failure to use the 1800 number, where it is not a life threatening emergency, could result in the cost for consultation and treatment being incurred by the member.

What if I get admitted to hospital? If you require admission to hospital you are to inform the 1800 Medical Staff immediately. They will either arrange for transport to an ADF health facility for admission or approve admission to a civilian facility.

The ADF has preferred use agreements with a number of hospitals in Australia and admission to other than these will require special approval from the Area Health Service.

Can I use Medicare? Whilst all Australian citizens are entitled to use Medicare, members of the ADF should in the first instance request an invoice for services provided and if this is not possible they should pay themselves and seek reimbursement.

The Medicare card should only be used as a last resort. Remember to keep the referral number given to speed reimbursement.

I am a Reserve member. Do I have an entitlement? If you are a reserve member currently on Continuous Full Time Service/ Training or Full Time Duty an entitlement may exist to be treated at public expense. However, in all other circumstances there is no entitlement.

If a member of my family is sick, can I use the 1800 number? If the family member is a permanent ADF member the 1800 467 425 can be used. However, the 1800 number is not available for use by civilians.

What happens after I have received treatment and have reported the outcomes to the 1800 staff? The medical staff will record the outcomes and fax the details to your parent health facility.

If you are admitted, an ADF health facility will arrange for admissions to hospital and a NOTICAS signal to be raised in accordance with current Defence Instructions.

When should I report to my parent health facility? You should report to your parent health facility on the next working day.

What if I have a dental problem? The local Area Health Service has a Dental Officer on call. The procedure is the same as for medical problems.

Can my spouse, other family member or friend ring on my behalf? If you feel too unwell to come to the phone, a third party can ring the number and pass information. However, to avoid confusion direct contact with the affected member is preferred.

Can I obtain the number of the Medical or Dental Officer so that I can contact them directly? Under no circumstances will telephone numbers for Service health personnel be released to a third party. The appropriate staff will contact you if required.

What if I feel that I need emergency care? Go to the nearest Emergency department or ring 000. You are to contact the local ADF health facility at the first available opportunity.

What about RAN Individual Readiness? Questions regarding health fitness issues for Individual Readiness requirements should be directed to your orderly room or the Area Health Service during normal working hours.

Exactly what advice will be given? The advice and information given may include:

• A priority assessment of the caller focusing on the urgency and severity of the reported symptoms or concerns.
• Information and advice to assist the caller in determining the type of health care service they need to access.
• Information on the availability and location of ADF preferred Health Care Services.
• First Aid advice to be implemented prior to face to face contact, where needed.
• Referral to Emergency Services if required.
• Call back to check progress as agreed.
• Advice to the member on the correct follow-up procedure with his/her unit.
• Advice on availability and access to medications and filling of scripts.
• Advice on fitness for duty and fitness to travel issues.
• Advice on payment of accounts and submission of receipts for reimbursement.

Further Questions?

If you have any further questions, would like more information, or would like to provide comment on the service please feel free to contact the nearest ADF health facility listed in the table below.

LANDLINE TELEPHONE NUMBERS AT ADF HEALTH FACILITIES WHICH ARE LINKED TO THE NATIONAL 1800 TELEPHONE NUMBER Northern Territory AHS-NT Robertson Barracks Med C (08) 8935 3887 Northern Queensland AHS-NQLD Lavarack Barracks Med C (07) 4771 7113 Southern Queensland AHS-SQLD 2 Health Support Battalion (07) 3332 4525 Sydney AHS-SYD Balmoral Naval Hospital (02) 9960 0284 Northern New South Wales AHS-NNSW 3 CSH (02) 4587 3030 ACT & Southern New South Wales AHS-ACT/SNSW CAMU (02) 6265 9419 Victoria AHS-VIC RAAF Williams (03) 9256 2706 Tasmania AHS-TAS Anglesea Barracks Med C (03) 6237 7180 South Australia AHS-SA RAAF Edinburgh (08) 8393 2263 Western Australia AHS-WA HMAS Stirling (08) 9553 2740