The 10997 Change That Most Practices Have Missed

One of the most practical changes to MBS item 10997 isn't about who can receive the service or how many can be claimed.

It's about supervision.

The MBS now clearly states that the supervising medical practitioner does not need to be physically present with the nurse providing the service.

Instead, "supervision at a distance" is acceptable.

What Does This Mean?

If a practice nurse is providing a clinically relevant 10997 service, the supervising GP:

• Does not need to be in the room.

• Does not need to be at the same practice location.

• Does not even need to be at the same site.

  
  

However, the GP must:

• Be in Australia.

• Be readily contactable.

• Be able to provide timely clinical advice if required.

• Retain overall responsibility for the patient's care.

  
  

Why This Matters

Many practices have historically assumed the patient's regular GP needed to be physically present for every 10997 service.

This often creates workflow bottlenecks:

• Nurses waiting for a GP to return to site.

• Missed opportunities to provide timely care.

• Reduced flexibility across multiple practice locations.

  
  

The updated clarification provides much greater flexibility while maintaining clinical oversight.

What Hasn't Changed

The requirements for the 10997 itself remain unchanged.

The patient must still:

• Have an eligible chronic disease management plan in place.

• Receive a service that is consistent with that plan.

• Remain within the annual service limits.

  
  

The service must still be clinically relevant and appropriately documented.

A Practical Example

A patient attends for a wound dressing that is included in their GP Chronic Condition Management Plan.

The practice nurse performs the dressing.

The patient's usual GP is consulting from another clinic location that day but remains readily available by phone and retains clinical responsibility.

Provided all other requirements are met, the service may still be claimed.

The Bigger Opportunity

This change isn't about increasing billing.

It's about allowing practices to use nurses more effectively without unnecessary workflow restrictions.

For practices struggling with nurse utilisation, this clarification may be one of the most useful MBS changes we've seen in years.

At BetterBilling, we help practices turn changes like this into compliant workflows that improve both patient care and practice sustainability.