Changes in vaccination reporting FAQ

Is there a consent form template we can import?

This has been created by Team Bp to replicate the consent form created by the Department of Health. The template will be made available in the April 2021 Data Update, but you can also download an .rtf template here. Right-click and select Save Link as or Save Target as to download the file.

How do I record vaccine batch numbers?

You access your immunisation management screen to record these by clicking Setup from the Main Screen of Bp Premier, and selecting Immunisation Batches. From here, select the vaccine of choice, and click Add.

If I enter vaccine batch numbers and expiry dates as they arrive in the clinic, can this information be overridden in the consult if the doctor or nurse notices an error, or a mismatch in the batch being used currently?

Yes, you can.

Along with recording new batches, you can also delete batches once the supply has been used or when the batch expires. If the batch is incorrect (like you suggested), you can also delete it from here, or make any edits on the fly in the clinical record.

Can vaccine serial numbers be saved in the same way as batch numbers?

At this stage, serial number is not a mandatory field to complete, but recording the batch number is.

The Department of Health has started to refer to these serial numbers as a ‘Data Element’, and the idea is that it can be scanned and recorded into your software for each vaccine. We will have some further information sent out regarding recommended workflows as soon as we know more.

For example, there is still some confusion on where this data element will be stored, whether it is on the vial, or on the box.

Will there be a version of this presentation to download?

You can view a recording of the presentation here.

Will the presentation slides be made available?

Yes, you can access the presentation slides here.

Is there a direct link between Bp and the eligibility checker?

At this time, there is no link between Bp Premier and the online eligibility checker for patients.

Some online booking providers may have some additional ability to send information from the eligibility checker into your database. For more information, or to find out if your online booking vendor supports this, you can get in touch with them.

We have just done some testing of the new item numbers for vaccinations, and have noticed that the bulk bill incentive items like 10990 and 10991 did not get applied. Is this correct?

Yes, the covid vaccination MBS item numbers are not eligible for any additional bulk bill incentive item payments. The value of these incentives has already been incorporated into the value of the MBS item.

Is it possible to change the booking times for COVID-19 appointments only?

In terms of changing your default appointment length in your system, there are certainly a few steps to consider in the process. To see all of the steps, and factors to consider, see:

• Group patients in the appointment book by location

• Group patients in the appointment book by user

• Set the default appointment length

If I change my default appointment length from 15 minutes to 5 minutes, does that mean that my usual 15 minute appointments for GPs will take up 3 slots in the appointment book?

If you do change this default appointment length, a pop-up will ask you whether you would like to retain the original preferred appointment length for any sessions already in your appointment book, or change them to the new default.

If you click No to this popup, your original appointment lengths will not change for your providers. Again, we would recommend our article Set the default appointment length so you are aware of all the factors to consider when changing this value.

Will our online booking software, eligibility checker information be able to be imported automatically into the patient record?

Some online booking vendors are working on some functionality to support this. For more information you can check with your vendor.

How do I set up a bulk sms to send to persons eligible in phase 1B to get them to start booking for phase 1B?

View this article: Send Bp Comms Appointment Reminders.

Will nurses be able to log into a patient's My Health Records to check for vaccination history? Is access permitted for this?

Nurses are able to access a patient's MyHR if their user permissions are enabled.

Go t o Users > Edit > Permissions > My Health Record access and set to 'Allowed'.

If I want to set up a separate appointment book for COVID-19 vaccines, will I need to get a separate Minor ID?

You are not required to obtain a new Minor ID unless it is a new physical location.

Is there a direct way to upload adverse events straight from Bp?

There is currently no direct upload of adverse event to the TGA. Please follow your existing adverse event reporting procedures.

How do we bill these to multiple GPs if using COVID users in our appointment book?

You can leave the COVID appointment in the "COVID Dose 1" appointment book, and ensure the correct doctor is selected as the Billing Provider in the create invoice screen.

Does Bp support Health Identifier lookups for non-Medicare patients?

Bp Premier only supports IHI lookup for patients with Medicare details recorded in the demographic.

For non-Medicare patients with IHI numbers, you can look this up via the HPOS portal, then copy and paste this number into Bp Premier. Once you have the number recorded in the patient’s demographic, you can then use the ‘Validate’ function in Bp Premier.

What is the difference in choosing different categories when setting up the user? For example, 'Nurse' instead of 'Resource'.

A resource is intended to be simply a column in your appointment book rather than a fully-fledged user in the system.

There's no need to record a provider number for a resource, or any other details for this column other than a name. Creating a new nurse would require more details to be entered, and they would actually then become a proper user within the system rather than just being a column in the Appointment Book.

Can I view a copy of the list of resources from the presentation?

Visit Updates for managing COVID-19 for the list of COVID-19 vaccination resources.