Quick link to training registration
Service information
The ACC-funded GP Referred MRI (GPMRI) service enables General Practitioners (GPs) and certain doctors working in General Practice who have completed the required training to directly refer patients with knee, lumbar (L-Spine) or neck (C-Spine) injuries that meet specific clinical criteria for MRI.
See HHB Health Pathways for clinical pathways and patient eligibility criteria:
The generic contract between ACC and PHOs can be viewed here.
Who can provide the service?
Genral Practitioners working within the Health Hawke’s Bay network. A GP Registrar can deliver the service if they have completed GPMRI training and work in a practice with a GPMRI trained general practitioner to oversee their work.
Locum GPs working in practice are encouraged to complete the training so that they can make referrals when providing leave cover for a GP who has also completed the training.
The service can be provided in an Urgent Care setting where a patient is unenrolled but otherwise meets the criteria. For this reason, Urgent Care physicians are welcome to attend training to ensure service equity for our unenrolled population.
General Practitioners with Special Interest (GPSIs) cannot provide the GPMRI service because they can already access MRI services via other pathways.
We are aware that some GPs have already completed GPMRI training provided by another PHO or at a conference such as GPNZ. If this applies to you, please email GPMRI@healthhb.co.nz with proof of training if available and where/when the training was provided. You do not need to complete the expression of interest linked above.
How do I provide the service?
You will need to complete compulsory training if you are interested in providing the GPMRI service. The training is a 2-3 hour in-person session and includes an overview of the clinical indications for MRI, referral and claiming process, and hands on training in assessment techniques. The latter will be provided in small groups by a GPMRI trained physiotherapist. The session is CME accredited.
Eligible GPs and doctors working in General Practice can register for an available training session here.
Further information about GPMRI training, including the session format, can be found here.