Professional Services Review

The Professional Services Review (PSR) Scheme was established in July 1994 to protect the integrity of Medicare and the PBS. Part VAA of the Health Insurance Act 1973 establishes the PSR Agency and sets out the processes it must follow. In its administration of the Scheme, PSR is responsible for reviewing and examining possible inappropriate practice by practitioners when they provide Medicare services or prescribe Government subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). PSR examines suspected cases of inappropriate practice which have been referred by delegates of the Chief Executive Medicare. PSR cannot initiate its own reviews of a practitioner. ‘Inappropriate practice’ is conduct that a practitioner’s peers could reasonably conclude is unacceptable to the general body of their profession or specialty. PSR’s role is to protect patients and the community from the risks associated with inappropriate practice and to protect the Commonwealth from having to meet the cost of medical and or health services provided as a result of inappropriate practice.