Details of medical billing courses (MBCs) provided in Australia
| MBC details | Who is MBC offered to? | When is MBC offered? | Mandatory or voluntary? | How many hours of duration? | How long has MBC been offered? | Qualifications of person delivering MBC | How is MBC examined? | Is MBC free or paid? |
| Undergraduate education (n=1) (university medical schools) | Medical students | In GP rotation (fourth year) | Mandatory | <4 | 5–10 years | MQ | Written examination, assignments/group projects | Free |
| Postgraduate general practitioner education (n=12) (vocational education providers) | GP registrars | (n=9) Component of induction and introduction programme (n=3) plus ongoing review during training | Mandatory | (n=7) <2 (n=3) 2–4 (n=1) >4 (n=1) varies | (n=8) 5–10 years (n=4) >10 years | (n=7) MQ (n=5) MQ plus education qualification | (n=10) Not examined (n=1) Informal quiz (n=1) Partially examined | Free |
| Postgraduate specialist education (n=2) (specialist medical colleges) | (n=1) Members of our organisation (n=1) Registrars | (n=1) annually in some states and biannually in others (n=1) at annual scientific congress | Voluntary | <2 | (n=1) >10 years (n=1) <1 year | MQ | Not examined | (n=1) Pay (n=1) Free |
| Medical defence organisations (n=2) (also known as medical indemnity insurers) | Members of our organisation | (n=1) Articles in member publications (n=1) ad hoc | Voluntary | (n=1) Free reading (n=1) <2 | (n=1) 5–10 years (n=1) <5 years | (n=1) Legal qualification (n=1) MQ | Not examined | Free |
| Total n=17 | n=12 offered to GPs only | n=13 during orientation/induction | n=13 Mandatory | n=10 <2 | n=10 5–10 years | (n=16) MQs | (n=14) Not examined | (n=16) Free |
GP, general practitioner; MQ, medical qualification.