Codes and classification

Codes and Classifications for Admitted Patient Care Analysis

International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM)

Diagnosis, intervention, and external cause data are provided to the NHMD by all states and territories using the ICD-10-AM and the Australian Classification of Health Interventions (ACHI). The Australian Coding Standards are designed to be used in conjunction with the ICD-10-AM and ACHI to support sound coding convention. Although the ICD-10-AM is primarily designed for the diseases and injuries with a formal diagnosis, it also classifies a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, and social circumstances that may stand in place of a diagnosis. During the study period, hospital records were coded according to the applicable ICD-10-AM edition:

  • 2010–11 to 2012–13: ICD-10-AM 7th edition
  • 2013–14 to 2014–15: ICD-10-AM 8th edition
  • 2015–16 to 2016–17: ICD-10-AM 9th edition
  • 2017–18 to 2020–21: ICD-10-AM 10th edition.

It is important to note that diagnostic classifications and coding standards have changed over time. There is also variation in the quality, completeness and depth of coding across services, and state-specific standards. These factors can impact on the accuracy of diagnostic information.

ICD-10-AM 1–4-character diagnosis codes are used to construct the diagnostic groups according to AIHW conventions for this analysis.

Excluded from this analysis were separations with the care type ‘hospital boarder’ or ‘posthumous organ procurement.

ICD-10 AM Chapter principal diagnostic groups

The ‘Chapter’ groups are the broadest diagnostic category in the ICD-10-AM for describing the reason a patient received admitted patient care. Table 13 delineates the ICD-10 AM Chapter diagnostic groups used for this analysis.

Table 13: ICD-10-AM codes for principal diagnosis by ICD-10-AM chapter
ICD-10-AM codes

ICD-10-AM chapter

A00-B99

Certain infectious and parasitic diseases

C00-D48

Neoplasms

D50-D89

Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune system

E00-E89

Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases

F00-F99

Mental and behavioural disorders

G00-G99

Diseases of the nervous system

H00-H59

Diseases of the eye and adnexa

H60-H95

Diseases of the ear and mastoid

I00-I99

Diseases of the circulatory system

J00-J99

Diseases of the respiratory system

K00-K93

Diseases of the digestive system

L00-L99

Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue

M00-M99

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue

N00-N99

Diseases of the genitourinary system

O00-O99

Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium

P00-P96

Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period

Q00-Q99

Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities

R00-R99

Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified

S00-T98

Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes

Z00-Z99

Factors influencing health status and contact with health services

Mental health-related care

These groups were constructed in accordance with AIHW reporting conventions for mental health-related admitted patient care. Broad mental health diagnostic groups were derived from the AIHW detailed groupings to accommodate small numbers for the ex-serving ADF member cohort.

Further information on codes and classifications for mental health-related care is available on the AIHW website. Table 14 delineates the mental health diagnostic groups used for this analysis.

Table 14: ICD-10-AM codes for principal diagnosis of mental health-related care by mental health diagnosis groups
ICD-10-AM codesMental health diagnostic group

F43

Stress-related disorders

F40-42, F44-45, F48

Anxiety disorders 

F32

Depressive disorders

F30-31 F33-34 F38-39

Bipolar and other mood disorders (excluding depressive)

F1, Z50.2 Z50.3 Z71.4 Z71.5

Mental and behavioural disorders due to other psychoactive substance use 

F00 F01 F02 F03 F051 G30

Dementia 

F2

Schizophrenia and related disorders

F04 F05 (Excluding F051) F06 F07 F09

Other organic disorders 

F5 (Excluding F52.5)

Behavioural syndromes 

F6

Personality disorders 

F7, 
F8 (excluding F84.2),
F9 (Excluding F98.5 and F98.6)

Other 1 (diagnostic/symptoms)

Z00.4, Z03.2, Z04.6, Z09.3, Z13.3, Z54.3, Z61.9, Z63.1, Z63.8, Z63.9, Z65.8, Z65.9 and Z76.0.G47.0, G47.1, G47.2, G47.8, G47.9, O99.3, R44.0, R44.1, R44.2, R44.3, R44.8, R45.0, R45.1, R45.4, R48.0. R48.1, R48.2 and R48.8.

Any mental health related episode not captured above (i.e., psychiatric care days but no mental health related principal diagnosis)

Other 2 (mental health procedure-service/environmental)

Intentional self-harm diagnoses

Records of hospitalisation for treatment following intentional self-harm were included if they met the following criteria:

  • a principal diagnosis in the ICD-10-AM range S00-T75, T79 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes)
  • the first reported external cause code in the record in the ICD-10-AM range X60–X84, Y87.0 (external causes of morbidity).

The term ‘intentional self-harm’ in the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD) provides information on patients admitted to hospital for self-poisoning or self-injury, with or without suicidal intent – and therefore includes both suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-harming behaviours.

Table 15: delineates the mechanism of intentional self-harm groups used for this analysis
ICD-10-AM codesMechanism of intentional self-harm group

X60

Nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics

X61

Antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, anti-parkinsonism, and psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified

X62

Narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens], not elsewhere classified

X63-X64

Other drugs

X65

Alcohol

X66, X68-X69

Other chemical (excluding gas)

X67

Gas

X70

Hanging

X78

Sharp objects

X71-X77, X79-X84, Y87.0

Other cause

Counts of hospitalisations for intentional self-harm reported may differ slightly from other publications. This reflects differences in the inclusion and/or exclusion criteria (e.g. rehabilitation) and multi-episode stay-based rather than single episode-based analysis. At least one episode in multi-episode stays had to meet the above criteria to be included in the intentional self-harm patient group. This diagnostic group had negligible (<0.1%) stays containing episodes with a principal or additional diagnosis of ‘care involving the use of rehabilitation procedures’ (Z50).

Further information about codes and classifications related to intentional self-harm is available on the AIHW website.

Alcohol and other drug diagnoses

These groups were constructed in accordance with AIHW reporting conventions. Broad diagnostic groupings of physical and mental-health related conditions related to the use of alcohol and other drugs were constructed. This was to accommodate small numbers in the ex-serving ADF cohort.

Further information about the codes and classifications used by AIHW for the alcohol and other drug related diagnostic groups is available on the AIHW website. Table 16 delineates the diagnostic groups used for this analysis.

Table 16: ICD-10-AM codes for principal diagnosis by alcohol and other drug diagnosis groups
ICD-10-AM codesAlcohol and other drug diagnostic group

E52, F10.0–10.9, G31.2, I42.6, K29.2, K29.20–29.21, K70.0–70.9, K85.2, K86.0, T51.0–51.9, Z71.4

Alcohol

F11.0-11.9, T40.0-40.4, T40.6

Opioids

T42.4, F13.0*-13.9, T41.2,  T42.0-T42.3, T42.5-42.8

Anti-epileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonian drugs

F55.2, N14.0, T39.0–39.4, T39.8–39.9, F12.0–12.9, T40.7, F16.0-16.9, T40.8, T40.9, F14.0–14.9, T40.5, F17.0-17.9, T65.2, Z58.7, Z71.6, F15.01–15.02, F15.11–15.12, F15.21–15.22,  F15.31–15.32, F15.41–15.42, F15.51–15.52, F15.61–15.62, F15.71–15.72, F15.81–15.82, F15.91–15.92, T43.61–43.62, F15.00, F15.09, F15.10, F15.19, F15.20, F15.29, F15.30, F15.39, F15.40, F15.49, F15.50, F15.59, F15.60, F15.69, F15.70, F15.79, F15.80, F15.89, F15.90, F15.99

F55.0, T43.0-43.2

T43.3-43.5

F18.0-18.9, T52.0-52.9, T53.0-53.7, T53.9, T59.0, T59.8

F19.0-19.9

F55.1, F55.3-F55.6, F55.8-55.9, K85.3, N14.1-14.3, T38.7, T43.8-43.9, T47.2-47.4, T50.1-50.3, T50.7, Z71.5

Q86.0

Any other drug/drug-related including:

    Non-opioid analgesics

    Cannabinoids

    Hallucinogens

    Cocaine

    Nicotine

    Amphetamines and other stimulants

    Antidepressants

    Antipsychotics and neuroleptics

    Volatile solvents

    Multiple drug use

    Unspecified drug use

    Foetal and perinatal conditions

National Death Index (NDI) causes of mortality

Causes of mortality included in the NDI are recorded as ICD-10 codes, as derived by Australian Bureau of Statistics from death certificates. Causes of mortality have been grouped according to ICD-10 chapter. Subgroups have been created (where there is sufficient data) for ‘intentional self-harm,’ ‘deaths of despair’ and ‘deaths of undetermined intent.’ Deaths from intentional self-harm are a subgroup of deaths of despair. Table 17 provides further information.

Table 17: ICD-10 codes for cause of death groups
ICD-10 codesCause of death group

A00-B99

Certain infectious and parasitic diseases

C00-D48

Neoplasms

C33-C34

  • Lung cancer

C00-D48 (excluding C33-C34)

  • Other neoplasms

D50-D89

Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune system

E00-E99

Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases

F00-F99

Mental and behavioural disorders

G00-G99

Diseases of the nervous system

H00-H59

Diseases of the eye and adnexa

H60-H95

Diseases of the ear and mastoid

I00-I99

Diseases of the circulatory system

J00-J99

Diseases of the respiratory system

K00-K93

Diseases of the digestive system

L00-L99

Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue

M00-M99

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue

N00-N99

Diseases of the genitourinary system

O00-O99

Pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium

P00-P96

Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period

Q00-Q99

Congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities

R00-R99

Symptoms, signs, and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified

V01-Y98

External causes of mortality

X40-X49, Y40-Y59

  • Accidental poisoning, including drugs causing adverse effects in therapeutic use

X60-X84, Y87.0

  • Intentional self-harm

V01-Y98 (excluding X40-X49, X60-X84, Y40-Y59, Y87.0)

  • Other injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes

X60-X84 & Y87, 
 K70, K73, K74, 
 X40-X45, 
 Y10-Y15, Y45, Y47, Y49

Deaths of despair

X60-X84, Y87.0

  • Intentional self-harm

K70, K73, K74, 
 X40-X45, 
 Y10-Y15, Y45, Y47, Y49

  • Other deaths of despair

Y10-Y34, Y87.2

Deaths of undetermined intent

All other or missing codes, including codes for special purposes such as provisional codes for COVID-19.

Other or unspecified cause of death

Codes and Classifications for Emergency Department Care Analysis

During the study period, ED records were coded by hospitals according to a code sets, the range of codes available varied from hospital to hospital and between jurisdictions. The ED data comprise 3 fields only, into which the patient’s treating clinician can apply diagnoses to the electronic record at the conclusion of a patients ED presentation. In contrast to the admitted patient coding, these fields are not input by trained medical records coders. 

The principal diagnosis is established at the conclusion of the patient's attendance in an ED and is to be the main diagnosis responsible for occasioning the attendance following consideration of clinical assessment by a coder. The first additional diagnosis is the first condition or complaint coexisting with the ED principal diagnosis during a patient's attendance to the ED, as represented by a code. The second additional diagnosis is the second condition or complaint coexisting with the ED principal diagnosis during a patient's attendance to the ED, as represented by a code. Due to the limited code positions and depth of coding, it cannot be assumed that the patient does not have a particular condition if it is not recorded.

In the NHDH each of these 3 fields are available from 2013–14 onward. Care must be taken when evaluating these diagnoses over time, as diagnosis information was supplied using different classifications for all study years. For years 2013–14 to 2017–18, the following code sets were able to be used for this field: 

  • ICD-10-AM (6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th editions)
  • ICD-9-CM (2nd edition)
  • EDRS-SNOMED CT-AU

From 2018–19, an ICD-10-AM based 'ED shortlist' was used for the principal diagnosis field (METEOR identifier 681646).

Each of these code sets are further described below.

International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM)

Although the ICD-10-AM is primarily designed for the diseases and injuries with a formal diagnosis, it also classifies a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, and social circumstances that may stand in place of a diagnosis. 

It is important to note that diagnostic classifications and coding standards have changed over time, hence their numerated editions. There is also variation in the quality, completeness, and depth of coding across services, and state-specific standards. These factors can impact on the accuracy of diagnostic information.

Systemised Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms - Australia (SNOMED CT-AU)

The Systemised Nomenclature of Medicine – Clinical Terms – Australia (SNOMED CT-AU) is the Australian extension of SNOMED CT, a comprehensive multilingual health terminology. SNOMED CT is designed to underpin clinical data recording and meaning-based retrieval and use. SNOMED includes more than 350,000 active concepts with unique meanings and formal logic-based definitions, organised in hierarchies with multiple levels of granularity. The hierarchies include clinical findings, procedures, observables, body structures, organisms, substances, and pharmaceutical/biologic products.

Emergency department ICD-10-AM (10th ed) principal diagnosis Short List

The ICD-10-AM Emergency Department Principal Diagnosis Short List was developed in 2015 by the Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) from the full version of ICD-10-AM. The short list was compiled using data analysis and clinical advice. The ED Short List replaces previous reporting inconsistencies whereby states and territories would report principal diagnosis using various code sets, including SNOMED CT, ICD-9-CM, or the various versions of ICD-10-AM. 

The ED Short List does not contain any of the external cause codes from the ICD-10-AM, therefore the code range that is commonly used to identify intentional self-harm (X60-X84, Y87.0) are not included. The ICD10-AM code for suicidal ideation (R45.81) is included in the Short List.

IHACPA has developed mapping files between each version of the ED Short List (9, 10 and 11 to date) and the full ICD-10-AM. IHACPA has also developed a mapping file between the full ICD-10-AM and SNOMED-CT-AU, which they provided the AIHW for the purposes of these analyses. 

Codes defining intentional self-harm and suicidal ideation

Given the known challenges and limitations of the identifying suicidal behaviours within the ED data, as well as the variability in code sets used – which varies within jurisdictions, this project further aimed to enhance the identification of both the cohort of interest and the comorbid risk factors associated using three methods. Firstly, we used a method developed and validated by NSW Health System Information and Analytics Branch (Sara and Wu 2023), which is now routinely used across NSW for the purpose of better identifying suicide and self-harm presentations to the Emergency Department. Secondly, we used the mapping file provided by IHACPA to add any additional codes across all diagnoses of interest, and thirdly, for the enhanced identification of patients presenting with alcohol use disorders, we used the method described by Zhang et al. (2022). 

The suicidal ideation and self-harm population analysed in this report included any person presenting to any ED in Australia, with any diagnosis (that is in any of the 3 diagnosis code positions), with either intentional self-harm and/or suicidal ideation, identified by any of the codes below. 

Intentional self-harm 

Records of ED presentation for treatment following intentional self-harm were included if they contained any of the following codes (Table 18), noting that ICD10-AM codes were included both with and without a decimal place, to accommodate variation in coding practices.

Table 18: ICD-10-AM & SNOMED codes indicating a diagnosis of intentional self-harm

Description

ICD-10-AM or SNOMED codes

Self-poisoning by: 

  • other and unspecified drugs
  • medicaments
  • biological substances
  • salicylates
  • other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
  • other nonopioid analgesics and antipyretics
  • nonopioid analgesics
  • antipyretics
  • antirheumatics
  • aminophenol derivatives 
  • succinimides 
  • oxazolidinediones 
  • benzodiazepine
  • antiepileptic drugs
  • other antiepileptic drugs
  • sedative-hypnotic drugs
  • tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants 
  • other and unspecified antidepressants 
  • phenothiazine antipsychotics and neuroleptics 
  • psychotropic drugs
  • neuroleptics
  • other antipsychotic drugs
  • other drugs not easily classified

T39.0, T39.1, T39.3, T39.4, T39.8, T39.9, T42.2, T42.4, T42.6, T42.7, T43.0, T43.2, T43.3, T43.9, T50.9

242824002, 242832005, 297201008, 86849004, 410061008, 219125007, 297063003, 296167005, 296303002, 242833000, 296171008, 274228002, 711538001, 296189009, 296193003, 296851001, 269808005, 296123008 296391008, 296493005, 295967000, 295921000, 271982007, 295252006, 295269008, 295925009, 363293009, 55680006, 59369008, 59274003, 7895008, 431307001, 295122008, 242822003, 295808006, 18152005, 269268004, 21068005, 281510005, 290145004, 216472002, 295124009, 295312006, 277131000, 290310000, 295215006, 439011002, 242826000, 295214005, 290145004, 216472002, 295124009, 295312006, 277131000, 290310000, 295215006, 439011002, 242826000, 295214005, 296128004, 216530001, 296053004, 296118008, 296168000, 296125001, 296070007, 61406000, 242835007, 296108003, 42377002, 295978008, 296021008, 295980002, 290858001, 295835002, 295836001, 295830007, 290888005, 295916003, 295937006

Sequalae of intentional self-harm

Y87.0

Suicidal ideation

Records of an ED presentation for suicidal ideation were included if they contained any of the following codes (Table 19).

Table 19: ICD-10-AM & SNOMED codes indicating a diagnosis of suicidal ideation

Description

ICD-10-AM or SNOMED codes

Suicidal ideation

R45.81

267073005, 41501003, 6471006, 225444004, 304594002, 47695004, 401229000, 225457007, 386738004, 425104003, 366979004, 267076002, 394685004, 102911000, 272022009, 102897001, 247650009, 81492003, 18963009, 302203004, 81548002, 702535006, 225478005, 394924000, 386798001, 225912009, 401231009, 224977004

Codes used to define diagnoses for risk factors associated with self-harm and suicidal behaviour

Table 20: ICD-10-AM & SNOMED codes indicating specific risk factor diagnoses

Description

ICD-10-AM or SNOMED codes

Mental and behavioural disorders including, but not limited to:

  • mood disorders
  • delirium
  • dementia
  • personality disorders
  • schizophrenia
  • schizoaffective disorders
  • bipolar affective disorders
  • anxiety disorders
  • obsessive-compulsive disorders depressive disorder
  • post-traumatic stress disorder
  • adjustment disorder
  • eating disorders

F00–F09, F20–F99

52448006, 12348006, 15662003, 52448006, 12348006, 15662003, 191461002, 2776000, 36217008, 40425004, 111479008, 247804008, 31027006, 191447007, 69322001, 280427006, 47372000, 46206005, 277843001, 192562009, 419284004, 74732009, 413307004, 391281002, 27296002, 401061005, 391281002, 27296002, 431957001, 191555002, 31658008, 64905009, 191542003, 231485007, 111484002, 191531007, 268617001, 83746006, 58214004, 247804008, 31027006, 216004, 48500005, 2073000, 417233008, 231487004, 88975006, 231489001, 191572009, 68890003, 5464005, 69322001, 231496004, 231494001, 284513006, 268619003, 31446002, 191618007, 191627008, 191629006, 191632009, 765176007, 192362008, 191636007, 371600003, 13746004, 83458005, 370143000, 237350002, 73867007, 192080009, 35489007, 87414006, 40568001, 191616006, 76105009, 78667006, 366979004, 46206005, 70691001, 61569007, 35607004, 25501002, 247850006, 247835002, 54587008, 386810004, 395017009, 225624000, 371631005, 80583007, 21897009, 231504006, 247808006, 69479009, 231506008, 270472006, 48694002, 300895004, 197480006, 191738003, 67698009, 191736004, 192041001, 32937002, 47505003, 17226007, 47372000, 57194009, 66381006, 224965009, 271952001, 67195008, 162218007, 191714002, 191677006, 44376007, 18193002, 231517009, 191956005, 191952007, 268650001, 386738004, 37057007, 31297008, 111475002, 191746002, 56882008, 78004001, 192450008, 105481005, 72366004, 192454004, 268722008, 270487001, 270903007, 268723003, 860914002, 58703003, 225450009, 231520001, 13601005, 26665006, 20010003, 33449004, 50299009, 106143002, 56627002, 50705009, 91138005, 47004009, 1855002, 110359009, 161129001, 408856003, 191697001, 35919005, 192562009, 61372001, 17961008, 430909002, 192099000, 231539006, 268664001, 5158005, 568005, 161838002, 231538003, 128293007, 74732009, 228150001, 413307004

Substance use disorders (excluding alcohol use)

F11–F19

11196001, 75544000, 87132004, 297199006, 21647008, 296292003, 231479000, 23527004, 231477003, 77721001, 231478008, 85005007, 361149008, 268640002, 231473004, 361151007, 27956007, 31956009, 275471001, 84758004, 50320000, 38247002, 231468005, 105549004, 6525002, 191816009, 2403008, 363101005, 74934004, 735235000, 191483003, 191494004, 11387009, 417284009, 87858002

Alcohol use disorders including:

  • acute alcoholic intoxication in alcoholism
  • acute alcoholic liver disease
  • admitted to alcohol detoxification centre
  • alcohol abuse 
  •  alcohol dependence
  • alcohol withdrawal delirium 
  • alcohol withdrawal hallucinosis
  • alcohol withdrawal syndrome
  • alcohol withdrawal-induced convulsion
  • alcoholic cirrhosis 
  • alcoholic fatty liver
  • alcoholic gastritis 
  • alcoholic hepatic failure
  • alcoholic hepatitis 
  • alcoholic liver damage 
  • alcoholic polyneuropathy
  • alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis
  • alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis 
  • cerebellar ataxia due to alcoholism
  • chronic alcoholic hepatitis
  • continuous acute alcoholic intoxication in alcoholism
  • persistent alcohol abuse 
  • alcohol-induced organic mental disorder 
  • alcohol-induced psychosis 
  • alcoholism
  • alcohol-induced cerebellar ataxia

E51.2, F10, G31.2, G62.1, G72.1, I42.6, K29.2, K70.0, K70.4, K70.9, K85.2, K86.0, Z71.4, Z50.2, Z86.41

191802004, 9953008, 183486001, 15167005, 66590003, 8635005, 191476005, 191480000, 308742005, 420054005, 50325005, 2043009, 235881000, 235875008, 41309000, 7916009, 235942001, 235952002, 361272001, 307757001, 191804003, 284591009, 228281002, 29212009, 42344001, 7200002, 300992002, 7052005

Social issues including: 

  • homelessness
  • extreme poverty
  • financial distress
  • in need of urgent housing
  • social isolation
  • family estrangement
  • problems relating to life cycle
  • transition adjustments

Z59.0, Z59.6, Z59.9, Z60.0, Z60.2, Z60.9, Z62.8

32911000, 160700001, 224191006, 271364002, 105529008, 22032002, 161152002, 56098000, 248046000

Military service-related characteristics

Table 21 provides information about ADF service characteristics that are used for this analysis.

Table 21: Definition of military service characteristics

Characteristic

Definition

Length of service

Length of service of ex-serving ADF members is calculated using the difference between the hire date and separation date from the ADF. It was categorised as:

  • <1 year
  •  1<5 years
  • 5<10 years
  •  10+ years

Rank

  • Rank of ex-serving ADF members on termination which was derived from their rank equivalency code. Individuals reported as ‘Officer’ are defined as commissioned officers and those reported as ‘Sr Other Ranks’ are defined as non-commissioned Sergeant rank (equivalent) and above. All other or undefined ranks are classified as ‘Other Ranks.’

Separation reason

Separation from the ADF is classified into separation reasons for ex-serving ADF members, grouped as:

  • Voluntary
  • Involuntary – medical
  • Involuntary – other 
  • Contractual/Admin change 

Service

Defined as the ADF service an ex-serving ADF member belonged to on separation:

  • ARMY
  • NAVY
  • RAAF

Time since service

Time since service for ex-serving ADF members is calculated from the separation date. It was categorised as:

  • <1 year
  • 1<5 years
  • 5<10 years
  • 10-<20 years
  • 20+ years.

DVA clients 

In the general sense, DVA clients include serving, reserve, or ex-serving ADF members, or a partner or their dependents who receive support from DVA. A DVA client can be a DVA card holder, a benefit or income recipient and/or a user of health services or support services funded by DVA. The definition in this report is limited to ex-serving ADF members.

DVA client definition

A DVA client under the broad definition used in this report is an ex-serving ADF member who satisfies at least one of the following criteria:

  • has been issued a White, Orange or Gold card
  • had at least one accepted claim for a health or disability condition accepted as being related to service
  • has received or is receiving benefits or payment
  • had at least one health service or support service through the DVA National Treatment Account.

This definition does not include ex-serving ADF members who had made only rejected DVA claims and were not a card holder or in receipt of any benefits from DVA.

For this analysis, additional subgroupings of DVA clients are reported based on the type of card held by the client (if any):

  • Gold card holder – has a DVA Gold card (regardless of other concurrent card types)
  • White card holder – has a DVA White card but not a Gold card
  • Other – has a DVA Orange card (but no Gold or White card) or no DVA card

Veteran Gold Cards

Holders of a Gold Card are entitled to DVA funding for all clinically necessary health services related to all health conditions, regardless of whether they were related to service.

Veteran White Cards

White Card holders are entitled to health services related only to conditions accepted as relating to service. However, cases of malignant cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and any mental-health condition do not have to be due to service-related causes.

From 1 July 2018, eligibility for treatment of any mental health condition expanded to include Reservists who have rendered Reserve Service Days with disaster relief service, border protection service or involvement in a serious service-related training incident. In addition, the White Card on Transition project commenced, with DVA issuing White Cards to transitioning members as they separate from the ADF.

Veteran Orange Cards

Orange Card holders are entitled to access prescription medicines, wound care items and nutritional supplements at a concession rate. Orange cards cannot be used for medical or other healthcare treatment. A Veteran Orange Card is issued to Commonwealth and allied veterans and mariners who meet all the following:

  • They have qualifying service from the First World War or the Second World War.
  • They are aged 70 or over.
  • They have been resident in Australia for 10 years or more.

More information about DVA services and entitlements is available at Overview of DVA benefits and services.