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V4.0 1999/2000 VEMD User Manual
PATIENT BIOGRAPHIC DATA
PATIENT IDENTIFIER
Definition: Patient identifier unique within the establishment. Unit record number or other local identifier. (e.g. first three letters of patient’s surname).
Ten character alpha/numeric field.
Field should be right justified and zero filled.
MEDICARE NUMBER
Definition: Personal identifier allocated by the Health Insurance Commission to eligible persons under the Medicare scheme.
Eleven digit field, consisting of a ten digit Medicare Number and one digit Medicare code as indicated on the Medicare card.
Under Medicare, each eligible family in the population is assigned a unique identifying number. This number, together with age and sex, provides an essentially unique identifier. (National Health Data Dictionary, Version 8.0)
The Medicare Number should be reported first, with the Medicare Code reported as the eleventh character. For example, 32561128372.
Medicare Code______2 John Citizen
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When the Medicare Number is provided, it must be numeric and contain the appropriate check-digit (second last digit shown on card). Can be blank if the Medicare Number is not available. In these instances an appropriate Medicare Suffix = C-U, N-E or P-N is required, refer to Medicare Suffix, below.
For unnamed neonates where the family has a Medicare Number, use the mother’s/family’s Medicare Number with suffix BAB and Medicare Code ‘0’ (zero).
The Medicare Number field may be used to delete a record or to alter the Campus Code or Unique Key, refer to Policies for collection of data - Procedure for deletion of record or alteration of Campus Code and Unique Key,
MEDICARE SUFFIX
Definition: The Medicare Suffix is the first three characters of the patient's first given name (as it appears on the Medicare card) to identify the family member being treated.
The name is printed on the Medicare Card, beneath the Medicare Number..
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Medicare
3256 11283 7______Medicare Number Medicare Suffix (in blue) __1 JANe Citizen Medicare Code________2 John Citizen Valid To 08/02 |
Edits permit:
- upper case alphas (edits will reject lower case alphas)
- space as second and third characters
- space as third character
- hyphen or apostrophe as second character or third character
The Medicare Suffix also allows for the entry of codes for
- C-U = Card unavailable
- N-E = Not eligible for Medicare
- P-N = Prisoner
- BAB = Unnamed neonate
If the Medicare Number is unavailable or the patient is not eligible for a Medicare Number, leave the Medicare Number field blank and enter the appropriate suffix.
For an unnamed neonate where the family has a Medicare Number, use the mother's/family's Medicare Number with suffix BAB and Medicare Code ‘0’ (zero).
SEX
Definition:The patient’s sex.
Required for analyses of service utilisation, needs for services and epidemiological studies. (National Health Data Dictionary, Version 8.0)
Select the first appropriate category.
| Code | Sex |
| 1 | Male |
| 2 | Female |
| 3 | Indeterminate (only for infants aged less than 90 days) |
DATE OF BIRTH
Definition: Patient's Date of Birth (DDMMCCYY).
If unknown, estimate year of birth and enter 0000 (zeros) in DDMM and estimated year in CCYY. 00MMCCYY will not be accepted.
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
Definition: The Country in which the patient is born.
Country of Birth is important in the study of access to services by different population sub-groups. Country of Birth is the most easily collected and consistently reported of possible data items. (National Health Data Dictionary, Version 8.0)
Four character numeric field.
The classification has been obtained from the Australian Standard Classification of Countries for Social Statistics. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, catalogue no. 1269.0). This data item is also included in the National Health Data Dictionary. (Knowledgebase ID 000035: Country of Birth). A computer readable list of countries and codes is available from the ABS.
If the person is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, this is shown in the field Indigenous Status, see below for description of Indigenous Status field.
Patients born in Australia should be reported under the State in which they were born. Code 1100 Australia not otherwise specified, should be used only when no further details are available.
INDIGENOUS STATUS
Definition: Indigenous Status of patient as determined by patient self-identification.
Select the first appropriate category.
| Code | Indigenous Status |
| 2 | Not indigenous - Not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin |
| 5 | Indigenous - Aboriginal but not Torres Strait Islander origin |
| 6 | Indigenous - Torres Strait Islander but not Aboriginal origin |
| 7 | Indigenous - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin |
An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community with which he/she lives (High Court of Australia in Commonwealth V Tasmania (1983) 46 ALR).
Given the gross inequalities in health status between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Australia, the size of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and their historical and political context, there is a strong case for ensuring that information on Indigenous Status is collected for planning and service delivery purposes and for monitoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. (National Health Data Dictionary, Version 8.0)
This information must be collected for every patient and it must be collected at every attendance.
Rather than asking the patient about their Indigenous Status, first ask the patient ‘Were you born in Australia?’:
- If ‘No’, the patient should be asked ‘What country were you born in?’
- If ‘Yes’, the patient should be asked ‘Are you of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin?'
Any response which is not affirmative must be coded to 2 - Not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
When a baby or child attends the emergency department, the parent or guardian should be asked whether the child’s mother or father is of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. If either parent identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, then the baby or child should be recorded as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. If the mother of a newborn baby identifies as not indigenous, staff must not assume that the baby is also not indigenous. The indigenous status of the father must also be established.
The Koori Health Unit within the Department of Human Services has issued a booklet that provides information for hospital staff responsible for collecting information on Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients. This booklet can be located on the internet at www.dhs.vic.gov.au/ahs/prs2/infoshee.htm
PREFERRED LANGUAGE
Definition: The language (including sign language) most preferred by the patient for communication. This may be a language other than English even where the person can speak fluent English.
Two character numeric field.
Preferred Language is an important indicator of ethnicity, especially for persons born in non-English speaking countries. Its collection will assist in the planning and provision of multilingual services and will facilitate program and service delivery for migrant and other non-English speakers. (National Health Data Dictionary, Version 8.0)
This classification is from NHDD Version 8.0 and is a modification of the 2-digit level Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ABS) classification.
LOCALITY
Definition: Geographic location (locality/suburb/town) of usual residence as stated by the patient at time of attendance (not postal address).
Up to twenty alpha/numeric character field.
- Do not include the street address (number, name of road).
- Do not use non-residential localities (such as mail delivery centres)
The hospital may collect the patient's postal address for its own purposes. However, for transmission to DHS, the Postcode and Locality fields must contain details of the patient's residential address.
The Locality and Postcode codes are used to assign a Statistical Local Area (SLA) code for DHS purposes.
Statistical Local Area (SLA) Reference files are available from DHS, contact the HDSS Help Desk by phone or via e-mail to request a copy. Refer page x for details.
Alternatively access the Australia Post web-site which provides an up to date postcode and localities listing at www.auspost.com.au.
From this list, the VEMD editing program will exclude non-residential localities but will add common variations of locality spellings as used in Melway references and the Australian Bureau of Statistics Locality Index (Cat. No. 1252)
For newborns, use the mother’s residential address.
POSTCODE
Definition: Postcode of locality/suburb/town in which patient usually resides (not postal address).
The Locality and Postcode codes are used to assign a Statistical Local Area (SLA) code for DHS purposes.
The hospital may collect the patient's postal address for its own purposes. However, for transmission to DHS, the Postcode and Locality fields must contain details of the patient's residential address. The VEMD editing program will reject non-residential Postcodes (such as mail delivery centres).
Statistical Local Area (SLA) Reference files are available from DHS, contact the HDSS Help Desk by phone or via e-mail to request a copy. Refer page x for details.
Alternatively access the Australia Post web-site which provides an up to date postcode and localities listing at www.auspost.com.au.
From this list, the VEMD editing program will exclude non-residential localities but will add common variations of locality spellings as used in Melway references and the Australian Bureau of Statistics Locality Index (Cat. No. 1252)
For newborns, use the mother’s residential address.
Other codes to use as Postcodes are:.
| Pseudo Postcode |
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No fixed abode |
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Overseas |
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Unknown Postcode |