1 | PBS item prescribed | String
[6]
| NN[NNN]A
The code set representing the medicinal and therapeutic products included in the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits. The code set also includes the items listed in the separate Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (RPBS), which are structured in the same way. | DSS specific information: Variable name = ITM_CD |
2 | Patient category | String
[2]
| GE | General consumer | CO | Concession card holder | PE | Pensioner | RE | Repatriation (Department of Veterans' Affairs - DVA) | DB | Prescriber Bag | OC | Stoma | OP | Paraplegic and quadriplegic |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PYMNT_CTGRY_CD |
3 | PBS form type | String
[2]
| OR | Original prescription | RE | Repeat prescription | AU | Original authority prescription | AR | Repeat authorisation relating to authority prescription | VA | Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) original prescription | VR | Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) repeat prescription | DS | Deferred supply authorisation | DE | Prescription written by a participating dental practitioner | DB | Prescriber Bag supply form | OS | Ostomy prescription | PR | Patient claim for refund form |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = FRM_TYP_CD |
4 | Quantity of PBS item supplied | Number
[4]
| 9999 | Not stated/inadequately described |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PBS_RGLTN24_ADJST_QTY |
5 | PBS benefit amount | Currency
[8]
| N[NNNNN].NN Total number of Australian dollars and cents. | DSS specific information: Variable name = BNFT_AMT |
6 | PBS patient contribution | Currency
[8]
| N[NNNNN].NN Total number of Australian dollars and cents. | DSS specific information: Variable name = PTNT_CNTRBTN_AMT |
7 | Repeat prescription indicator | String
[1]
| blank | Original prescription | R | Repeat prescription |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = SRT_RPT_IND |
8 | Regulation 24 applicable indicator | String
[1]
| | DSS specific information: Variable name = RGLTN24_IND |
9 | Patient payment category | String
[1]
| blank | Prescription processed before the payment category was set | C | Prescriptions paid where a valid non-Safety Net entitlement card has been presented | G | Prescriptions paid where a valid Safety Net entitlement card has been presented | H | Prescriptions paid where a valid Safety Net entitlement card, dated from 1991 or later, has been presented and where the patient previously had an Safety Net entitlement card | N | Prescriptions paid where a valid Safety Net entitlement card, dated from 1991 or later, has been presented and where the patient previously had a non-Safety Net entitlement card | X | General, Prescriber Bag Order Form, Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) and stoma prescriptions processed after the payment category was set | U | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PTNT_PYMNT_CTGRY_CD |
10 | Type of drug prescribed (broad category) | String
[2]
| CA | Highly Specialised Drugs (community access items) | CT | Chemotherapy support drugs | DB | Prescriber Bag | DT | Dental | GE | General | GH | Human growth hormone | HS | Highly Specialised Drugs (private hospital items) | HB | Highly Specialised Drugs (public hospital items) | IF | In-vitro fertilisation | IN | Chemotherapy (private hospital items) | IP | Chemotherapy (public hospital items) | MD | Methadone | OT | Optometrical | PL | Palliative care | PQ | Paraplegic and quadriplegic associations | R1 | Repatriation | ST | Stoma appliances | SY | Special authority program | SZ | Special authority program | TY | Herceptin (private hospital items) | TZ | Herceptin (public hospital items) |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = DRG_TYP_CD |
11 | Hospital identifier | String
[8]
| N[NNNNNN]A
A logical combination of valid numeric and alphabetic characters that identify an entity. | DSS specific information: Variable name = HSPTL_ID In the context of the PBS, this data element represents the hospital provider number, i.e. a unique identifier allocated by the Department of Human Services upon the Department of Health's request on behalf of a declared hospital. The issuance of a provider number is directly linked to the hospital declaration by the Minister for Health (or the Minister's delegate), in that only a facility that has been declared as a hospital can be issued a hospital provider number. In the context of PBS data, the first digit of this data item is always a zero, and the eighth character is an alphabetic check digit which can be validated according to the routine outlined below. Using the hospital provider number '0926591Y' as an example, the following steps can be used to validate the check digit. Step #1. The first digit of the hospital provider number is a zero and is not used in the check digit calculation so it can be discarded. The remaining digits are individually multiplied by their corresponding digit in the number 584216, with the products of each multiplication summed, as per the table below. Digit position | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | | Example number | 9 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 1 | | Multiplied by | 5 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | Total | Products | 45 | 16 | 24 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 110 |
Step #2. The sum of the products (i.e. 110 from the table in Step #1 above) is divided by 11, i.e. 110/11 = 10, with a remainder of zero (0). The remainder is used to derive the check digit from the following list of values: Remainder | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Check digit | Y | X | W | T | L | K | J | H | F | B | A |
Step #3. Using the remainder (0) from the division calculation described in Step #2 above, the check digit for the example hospital provider number is 'Y'. In the context of the PBS, the hospital provider number is used to identify the hospital in those cases where a PBS prescription is written in a public hospital and filled in a community pharmacy. Referred to within the PBS system as 'Hospital provider number', 'Hospital identifier' or 'Hospital ID'. |
12 | Specialty group of prescriber | String
[2]
| 01 | General practitioner (GP) | 02 | Specialist | 03 | Allied health professional | 04 | Dental practitioner |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = MJR_SPCLTY_GRP_CD |
13 | Pharmacy approval type | String
[1]
| Y | Participating public hospital | B | Non-participating public hospital | 0 | Approved community pharmacy | D | Dispensing doctor | F | Approved community pharmacy (flagged as a friendly society) | H | Private hospital |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PHRMCY_APPRVL_TYP_CD |
14 | Closing the Gap co-payment eligibility indicator | String
[6]
| 6 spaces | Not applicable, i.e. ineligible for Closing the Gap co-payment relief |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = CTG_CD Due to a lack of validation for this data item, values that do not strictly conform with the specified value domain are likely to be reported for this item and should generally be regarded as valid for analytical purposes. Examples of such values may include 'CTG', i.e. a code with no numeric count or check digit included, or variants such as 'CGT' and so on. |
15 | PBS claim type | String
[1]
| C | Standard Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) co-payment claim | U | Under co-payment claim |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PBS_CLM_LVL_CD |
16 | Prescriber type | String
[1]
| M | Medical practitioner | D | Dental practitioner | B | Both | O | Optometrist | N | Nurse practitioner | W | Midwife |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PRSCRBR_TYP_CD |
17 | Number of times previously supplied | Number
[2]
| 99 | Not stated/inadequately described |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PRVS_SPPLY_NMBR |
18 | Number of authorised prescription repeats | Number
[2]
| 99 | Not stated/inadequately described |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = RPT_ORDR_NMBR |
19 | Record extract date | Date/Time
[8]
| DDMMYYYY
The day of a particular month and year. | DSS specific information: Variable name = EXTRCT_DT |
20 | Number of authorised medication supplies | Number
[2]
| 99 | Not stated/inadequately described |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PRSCRPTN_CNT |
21 | Patient category (derived) | String
[2]
| G1 | General Safety Net prescription | G2 | General non-Safety Net prescription | C0 | Concessional Safety Net prescription | C1 | Concessional non-Safety Net prescription | R0 | Repatriation (Department of Veterans' Affairs - DVA) Safety Net prescription | R1 | Repatriation (DVA) non-Safety Net prescription | DB | Prescriber Bag orders | OC | Stoma products prescription | OP | Paraplegic or quadriplegic products prescription |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PTNT_CTGRY_DRVD_CD |
22 | Pharmaceutical benefit entitlement source | String
[1]
| D | Department of Social Services (unresolved) | F | Families/mobility (Department of Social Services - DSS) | I | Invalid | M | Medicare (Department of Human Services - DHS) | O | Ostomy associations | P | Pension/parenting (DSS) | S | Safety Net (DHS) | U | Unemployed and special benefits (DSS) | V | Department of Veterans' Affairs - DVA |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = ENTTLMNT_SRC_CD |
23 | PBS eligibility card type | String
[2]
| BC | Department of Veterans' Affairs (Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or 'Orange card') | CN | Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme concessional entitlement (Department of Human Services - DHS) | DT | Dependant treatment entitlement (Department of Veterans' Affairs - DVA) | EI | Pensioner treatment entitlement (DVA) | ET | Pensioner treatment entitlement (DVA) | HB | Centrelink (Health Benefits) | HC | Centrelink (Health Care Card) | JI | Pensioner treatment entitlement (DVA) | JT | Pensioner treatment entitlement (DVA) | KI | Pensioner treatment entitlement (DVA) | MC | Medicare (general entitlement) (DHS) | OC | Ostomy membership (colostomy/ileostomy) | PC | Pensioner concession (Department of Social Services - DSS, DVA) | PM | Pensioner treatment entitlement (DVA) | PS | Combined Pensioner concession/Senior Health Care (DVA) | PT | DVA (Pensioner treatment entitlement card (PTEC) or 'Gold card') | PW | Dependant treatment entitlement (DVA) | SB | Pensioner health benefits (DSS)/Centrelink (Seniors' benefit) | SC | Pharmaceutical benefits concession (DSS) | SH | Centrelink (Senior Health Card) or DVA (Senior Health Card) | SN | Pharmaceutical Benefit Safety Net (DHS) | SP | Service pension benefit (DVA) | ST | DVA (Specific treatment entitlement card (STEC) or 'White card') | VB | Pensioner health benefits (DVA) | 2 blanks | Not available/Not applicable/Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PBS_CRD_TYP_CD In the context of the PBS information provided to the Department of Health by the Department of Human Services for the 2013-14 financial year, all data records contain Code 'MC' (Medicare), regardless of whether more than one type of eligibility card was presented by the PBS consumer. In theory, this data item should contain either 'MC' for most prescriptions, i.e. those prescriptions where only a Medicare card was presented, or the code representing any other eligibility card presented along with the Medicare card. However, this is known to not be the case. |
24 | Therapeutic group | Number
[1]
| 1 | ACE inhibitor group | 2 | ATRA group | 4 | H2RA group | 5 | PPI group | 7 | Statins-HP group | 8 | Venlafaxine group | 0 | Item does not belong to a therapeutic group |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = THRPTC_GRP_CD |
25 | Bioequivalent allowed indicator | String
[1]
| a | Able to be substituted with other 'a flagged' brands | b | Able to be substituted with other 'b flagged' brands | blank | Not able to be substituted with other brands |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = BQVLNT_IND |
26 | Patient identification number | String
[9]
| N(9)
A 9-digit number which uniquely identifies an entity. | DSS specific information: Variable name = PAT_ID This data element can be used to identify individual patients and may, in some use cases, need to be suppressed or de-identified. |
27 | Prescriber identifier | String
[20]
| N[N(19)] A logical combination of valid numeric characters that identify an entity. | DSS specific information: Variable name = PRESC_ID In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the prescriber number of the provider who wrote the prescription for which a PBS benefit is paid. Prescriber numbers are allocated to providers authorised to prescribe medication under the PBS. These prescribers include medical practitioners, dental practitioners, optometrists, nurse practitioners and midwives. The data item is referred to within the PBS system as 'Prescriber ID'. This data element can be used to identify individual prescribers and may, in some use cases, need to be suppressed or de-identified. |
28 | Pharmacy identifier | String
[6]
| XXNNNA A logical combination of alphanumeric, numeric and alphabetic characters that identify an entity. | DSS specific information: Variable name = PHCY_ID In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the approval number of the pharmacy that claimed for the supply of the PBS item and is referred to within the PBS system as 'Supplying pharmacy ID'. The sixth character is an alphabetic check digit. This data element can be used to identify individual pharmacies and may, in some use cases, need to be suppressed or de-identified. |
29 | Australian state/territory identifier (pharmacy) (ACT-prioritised) | String
[3]
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory | NSW | New South Wales | VIC | Victoria | QLD | Queensland | SA | South Australia | WA | Western Australia | TAS | Tasmania | NT | Northern Territory | UNK | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PHCY_STATE In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the location (physical address) of the dispensing pharmacy. It is referred to within the PBS system as 'Pharmacy state'. |
30 | Australian state/territory identifier (person) (ACT-prioritised) | String
[3]
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory | NSW | New South Wales | VIC | Victoria | QLD | Queensland | SA | South Australia | WA | Western Australia | TAS | Tasmania | NT | Northern Territory | UNK | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PTNT_STATE In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the place of usual residence of the patient or PBS consumer, and not the location of an establishment, e.g. the practice or postal address of the prescriber or the physical or postal address of the dispensing pharmacy. This data item is referred to within the PBS system as 'Patient state', and is derived from 'Patient postcode', i.e. it is derived from the Medicare record of the patient and is based on the most recent patient address reported to the Department of Human Services (DHS). |
31 | Australian state/territory identifier (prescriber) (ACT-prioritised) | String
[3]
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory | NSW | New South Wales | VIC | Victoria | QLD | Queensland | SA | South Australia | WA | Western Australia | TAS | Tasmania | NT | Northern Territory | UNK | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PRESC_STATE In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the location (physical address) of the prescriber, and is based on the postcode of the location at which the prescriber performed the majority of Medicare services for the most recent relevant quarter. |
32 | Geographic remoteness of pharmacy (PBS-specific code) | String
[1]
| 1 | Major cities of Australia | 2 | Inner and Outer regional Australia | 3 | Remote and Very remote Australia | U | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PHCY_RA In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the geographic remoteness of the dispensing pharmacy, and is based on the postcode of the pharmacy at which the prescription was dispensed. |
33 | Geographic remoteness of person (PBS-specific code) | String
[1]
| 1 | Major cities of Australia | 2 | Inner and Outer regional Australia | 3 | Remote and Very remote Australia | U | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PTNT_RA In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the geographic remoteness of the patient, and is based on the postcode of the most recent patient address details reported to the Department of Human Services (DHS). |
34 | Geographic remoteness of prescriber (PBS-specific code) | String
[1]
| 1 | Major cities of Australia | 2 | Inner and Outer regional Australia | 3 | Remote and Very remote Australia | U | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PRESC_RA In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the geographic remoteness of the prescriber, and is based on the postcode of the location at which the prescriber performed the majority of Medicare services for the most recent relevant quarter. |
35 | Date of supply | Date/Time
[8]
| DDMMYYYY
The day of a particular month and year. | DSS specific information: Variable name = SUPP_DATE |
36 | Date of prescribing | Date/Time
[8]
| DDMMYYYY
The day of a particular month and year. | DSS specific information: Variable name = PRESC_DATE |
80 | Major specialty of prescriber | String
[4]
| 0101 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) | 0102 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) | 0103 | General practitioner - GP trainee | 0104 | General practitioner - GP unclassified | 0201 | Specialist - internal medicine | 0202 | Specialist - immunology and allergy | 0203 | Specialist - cardiology | 0204 | Specialist - haematology | 0205 | Specialist - endocrinology | 0206 | Specialist - gastroenterology and hepatology | 0207 | Specialist - nephrology | 0208 | Specialist - neurology | 0209 | Specialist - nuclear medicine | 0210 | Specialist - paediatric medicine | 0211 | Specialist - rehabilitation medicine | 0212 | Specialist - rheumatology | 0213 | Specialist - respiratory and sleep medicine | 0214 | Specialist - geriatric medicine | 0215 | Specialist - medical oncology | 0216 | Specialist - intensive care | 0217 | Specialist - pathology | 0218 | Specialist - surgery | 0219 | Specialist - diagnostic radiology | 0220 | Specialist - anaesthetics | 0221 | Specialist - dermatology | 0222 | Specialist - obstetrics and gynaecology | 0223 | Specialist - ophthalmology | 0224 | Specialist - ear, nose and throat (ENT) | 0225 | Specialist - public health medicine | 0226 | Specialist - oral and maxillofacial surgery | 0227 | Specialist - palliative medicine | 0228 | Specialist - occupational and environmental medicine | 0229 | Specialist - infectious diseases | 0230 | Specialist - clinical genetics | 0231 | Specialist - psychiatry | 0232 | Specialist - college trainee - physician | 0233 | Specialist - sport and exercise medicine | 0234 | Specialist - addiction medicine | 0235 | Specialist - sexual health medicine | 0236 | Specialist - maternal-foetal medicine | 0237 | Specialist - reproductive endocrinology and infertility | 0238 | Specialist - urogynaecology | 0299 | Specialist - unclassified | 0301 | Allied health - Aboriginal Health Worker | 0302 | Allied health - allied mental health | 0303 | Allied health - chiropractor | 0304 | Allied health - dietician | 0305 | Allied health - midwife | 0306 | Allied health - nurse practitioner | 0307 | Allied health - occupational therapist | 0308 | Allied health - optometrist | 0309 | Allied health - osteopath | 0310 | Allied health - physiotherapist | 0311 | Allied health - podiatrist | 0312 | Allied health - speech pathologist | 0313 | Allied health - audiologist | 0314 | Allied health - social worker | 0399 | Allied health - unclassified | 0401 | Dental practitioner - oral surgery | 0402 | Dental practitioner - registered | 0403 | Dental practitioner - endodontist | 0404 | Dental practitioner - orthodontist | 0405 | Dental practitioner - periodontist | 0406 | Dental practitioner - prosthetist | 0407 | Dental practitioner - prosthodontist | 0499 | Dental practitioner - unclassified |
| DSS specific information: This data element is not part of the 2013-14 data extracted provided to the states and territories. It is a more detailed version of the 'Speciality group of prescriber' data element and is included here so it can be taken through the data governance process. |
81 | Subspecialty of prescriber | String
[6]
| 010101 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) - non-referred attendances | 010102 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) - procedural | 010103 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) - anaesthesia | 010104 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) - acupuncture | 010105 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) - obstetrics | 010106 | General practitioner - Vocationally registered GP (VRGP) - diagnostic imaging | 010201 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) - non-referred attendances | 010202 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) - procedural | 010203 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) - anaesthesia | 010204 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) - acupuncture | 010205 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) - obstetrics | 010206 | General practitioner - Non-vocationally registered GP (Non-VRGP) - diagnostic imaging | 010301 | General practitioner - GP trainee - GP trainee | 019999 | General practitioner - unclassified - unclassified | 020101 | Specialist - internal medicine - internal medicine | 020102 | Specialist - internal medicine - general medicine | 020103 | Specialist - internal medicine - clinical pathology | 020201 | Specialist - immunology and allergy - immunology and allergy | 020301 | Specialist - cardiology - cardiology | 020401 | Specialist - haemotology - haemotology | 020501 | Specialist - endocrinology - endocrinology | 020601 | Specialist - gastroenterology and hepatology - gastroenterology and hepatology | 020701 | Specialist - nephrology - nephrology | 020801 | Specialist - neurology - neurology | 020901 | Specialist - nuclear medicine - nuclear medicine | 021001 | Specialist - paediatric medicine - paediatric medicine | 021101 | Specialist - rehabilitation medicine - rehabilitation medicine | 021201 | Specialist - rheumatology - rheumatology | 021301 | Specialist - respiratory and sleep medicine - respiratory and sleep medicine | 021401 | Specialist - geriatric medicine - geriatric medicine | 021501 | Specialist - medical oncology - medical oncology | 021601 | Specialist - intensive care - intensive care | 021701 | Specialist - pathology - pathology | 021801 | Specialist - surgery - general surgery | 021802 | Specialist - surgery - cardiothoracic surgery | 021803 | Specialist - surgery - neurosurgery | 021804 | Specialist - surgery - orthopaedic surgery | 021805 | Specialist - surgery - paediatric surgery | 021806 | Specialist - surgery - plastic and reconstructive surgery | 021807 | Specialist - surgery - urology | 021808 | Specialist - surgery - vascular surgery | 021901 | Specialist - diagnostic radiology - diagnostic radiology | 022001 | Specialist - anaesthetics - anaesthetics | 022101 | Specialist - dermatology - dermatology | 022201 | Specialist - obstetrics and gynaecology - obstetrics and gynaecology | 022301 | Specialist - ophthalmology - ophthalmology | 022401 | Specialist - ear, nose and throat (ENT) - ear, nose and throat (ENT) | 022501 | Specialist - public health medicine - public health medicine | 022601 | Specialist - oral and maxillofacial surgery - oral and maxillofacial surgery | 022701 | Specialist - palliative medicine - palliative medicine | 022801 | Specialist - occupational and environmental medicine - occupational and environmental medicine | 022901 | Specialist - infectious diseases - infectious diseases | 023001 | Specialist - clinical genetics - clinical genetics | 023101 | Specialist - psychiatry - psychiatry | 023201 | Specialist - college trainee (physician) - college trainee (physician) | 023301 | Specialist - sport and exercise medicine - sport and exercise medicine | 023401 | Specialist - addiction medicine - addiction medicine | 023501 | Specialist - sexual health medicine - sexual health medicine | 023601 | Specialist - maternal-foetal medicine - maternal-foetal medicine | 023701 | Specialist - reproductive endocrinology and infertility - reproductive endocrinology and infertility | 023801 | Specialist - urogynaecology - urogynaecology | 029999 | Specialist - unclassified - unclassified | 030101 | Allied health - Aboriginal Health Worker - Aboriginal Health Worker | 030201 | Allied health - allied mental health - mental health worker | 030202 | Allied health - allied mental health - psychologist (clinical) | 030203 | Allied health - allied mental health - psychologist (non-clinical) | 030301 | Allied health - chiropractor - chiropractor | 030401 | Allied health - dietician - dietician | 030402 | Allied health - dietician - diabetes educator | 030501 | Allied health - midwife - midwife | 030601 | Allied health - nurse practitioner - nurse practitioner | 030701 | Allied health - occupational therapist - occupational therapist | 030801 | Allied health - optometrist - optometrist | 030901 | Allied health - osteopath - osteopath | 031001 | Allied health - physiotherapist - physiotherapist | 031002 | Allied health - physiotherapist - exercise physiologist | 031101 | Allied health - podiatrist - podiatrist | 031201 | Allied health - speech pathologist - speech pathologist | 031301 | Allied health - audiologist - audiologist | 031401 | Allied health - social worker - social worker | 039999 | Allied health - unclassified - unclassified | 040101 | Dental practitioner - oral surgery - oral surgery | 040201 | Dental practitioner - registered - registered | 040301 | Dental practitioner - endodontist - endodontist | 040401 | Dental practitioner - orthodontist - orthodontist | 040501 | Dental practitioner - periodontist - periodontist | 040601 | Dental practitioner - prosthetist - prosthetist | 040701 | Dental practitioner - prosthodontist - prosthodontist | 049999 | Dental practitioner - unclassified - unclassified |
| DSS specific information: This data element is not part of the 2013-14 data extracted provided to the states and territories. It is a more detailed version of the 'Speciality group of prescriber' data element and is included here so it can be taken through the data governance process. |
98 | Date of birth | Date/Time
[8]
| DDMMYYYY
The day of a particular month and year. | DSS specific information: Variable name = PAT_DOB In the context of PBS data, this data element describes the date of birth of the patient and is referred to within the PBS system as 'Patient date of birth'. 'Patient date of birth' is extracted from the Medicare record of the patient, as reported to the Department of Human Services (DHS). This data element can be used to identify individual patients and may, in some use cases, need to be suppressed or perturbed. |
99 | Sex (alphabetic code) | String
[1]
| M | Male | F | Female | I | Intersex or indeterminate | N | Not stated/inadequately described | U | Unknown | blank | Unknown |
| DSS specific information: Variable name = PAT_SEX In the context of PBS data, this data item is defined as being 'the gender of the consumer as held in the entitlement tables at the time the PBS claim was archived'. Strictly speaking, gender is a social/cultural concept rather than a biological (anatomical or chromosomal) concept, although for most people the two concepts are the same. |