Practical information for practice managers and receptionists
Role of the health practitioner when providing medical certificates
When medical certificates are required by Work and Income, the health practitioner (GP or other medical practitioner, midwife or dentist) is an advisor to the person’s case manager. Recommendations on the medical certificate and other information provided to the case manager enable the case manager to determine if the person qualifies for a particular benefit or assistance.
The GP/health practitioner collects a range of health-related information about the client and completes the medical certificate. They provide a considered opinion but are not responsible for determining the most appropriate benefit or assistance for the person.
Role of Work and Income’s health and disability co-ordinators
Regional health and disability co-ordinators develop functional relationships with health professionals. Your local Work and Income service centre can put you in touch with the health and disability co-ordinator in your area.
Role of the practice manager and receptionist
The practice manager and/or receptionist can help ensure the smooth administration of a person’s benefit or assistance from Work and Income by:
- informing the person that they must see the health practitioner to have a medical certificate completed
- encouraging people to make an appointment at least five working days before their last certificate expires to ensure their benefit is not interrupted (this will allow time for any administrative problems to be resolved)
- making the first available appointment and requesting the person to contact their case manager when no appointments are available before the current medical certificate expires (an appointment slip or card can be provided to the person or faxed to the case manager by arrangement with the person, to inform the case manager of the situation)
- maintaining a stock of manual medical certificates (these are available by contacting the local health and disability co-ordinator)
- assisting the health and disability co-ordinator to meet with the health practitioners, practice managers and/or head receptionists in your practice to:
- provide information regarding services and processes
- alert one another to any issues that may arise
- ensuring your practice’s contact details are up to date with the health and disability co-ordinators
- ensuring the latest version of the electronic medical certificate is available in your practice by keeping up to date with upgrades of the practice management system
- ensuring billing statements associated with Designated Doctor referrals or Usual Practitioner reports are completed and submitted to the National Accounting Centre by the 20th of the following month
- maintaining a stock of appropriate brochures which help clients understand the range of assistance available from Work and Income (additional stock can be ordered by calling 0800 559 009 ).
Your practice may request medical records from a previous GP or health professional prior to completing a certificate for a new patient. If this will delay the completion of the person’s medical certificate, please advise the person and suggest that they talk to their case manager about this. You may also wish to advise the case manager.
If a person has outstanding fees owing to your practice and this is a barrier to them obtaining an appointment, it is the responsibility of the person to inform their case manager about this.
The person is liable for their medical certificate consultation fee.