Medical report request

A medical report request is a broad, letter style request that can be sent to providers when a   range of medical information is needed. Requests are generated in R&C ISH and may be useful for evidence such as diagnosis, treatment history or prognosis, employment information, supplementary information across different claim types. 

For efficiency and completeness, wherever practical the standard medical report request for your business area should be used.

When communicating with healthcare providers, communication should focus on finalising a client's claim as efficiently and accurately as possible. 

Things to keep in mind:
•    Contact should be made at a time that is suitable for the medical practice
•    Be concise and specific
•    The information being requesting may not always be readily available 
•    Be flexible with how the medical practitioner or their staff prefer to send information to DVA.

If a GP is reluctant to release medical information or reports, you should:

1. Discuss the authorisation on the multi-Act claim form which sets out the information that is being requested. This explanation may address the issue of requested reports being declined.
2. If the GP still declines to provide the report, request details of the specialist (if not known) and contact them directly to request the report.

Where it has been confirmed that further information is needed, staff should consider the most appropriate method to obtain it. 

Communication should focus on finalising a client's claim as efficiently and accurately as possible. Things to keep in mind:

Medical treatment for full time serving members is usually provided by Defence.

Scenario – Request to provide a TRN before the claim has been reviewed

Not all claims will require additional information. A TRN will be issued once we have confirmed that the information is needed to investigate the claim.

Scenario – Request to provide multiple TRNs 

There is no need for separate TRNs to be issued for consultation and report writing.

Instructions on how to generate a TRN are in Taskcard - Generating Transaction Reference Number (TRN).

TRNs can be generated in letters or individually.

TRNs should not be issued:

TRNs should only be generated:

• if the original TRN has expired and the requested information is still needed to determine the claim
• if specific information is needed to investigate a claim.

Guidance on how to determine if the information is needed is provided in When to request additional medical information.

When assessing a claim, it's necessary to review the medical information you already have carefully. This can prevent unnecessary requests and streamline the process. 

If the information is complex, or you are unsure if the evidence is sufficient to determine the claim, seek further advice from internal experts such as DoD, SD’s or MAC.

Evidence can come from various sources, including medical and non-medical information, depending on the nature of the claim.