Seasonal Variations of Australian Medicare-Reimbursed Psychiatric Consultations Between 2016 and 2023: A Time Series Analysis

Luke Sy-Cherng Woon, DrPsych; David Smith, PhD; David F. Della, MD; Jeffrey C. L. Looi, DMedSc; Tarun Bastiampillai, MBBS

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2025;27(3):24m03898

Abstract

Objective: In Australia, subsidized psychiatric consultation items in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) provide essential private psychiatric services. Seasonality in service utilization may affect health care planning. This study examined the seasonal patterns of overall MBS psychiatric consultations and MBS telehealth psychiatric consultations in pre- and postpandemic periods.

Methods: Medicare Item Reports for face to-face and telehealth psychiatric items from 2016 to 2023 were retrieved and compiled. The quarterly time series for total (face-to-face and telehealth) and telehealth psychiatric consultations were analyzed descriptively, using the January–March quarter as the baseline. Linear regression analyses were performed to detect significant seasonal variations by gender and age groups. A sensitivity analysis of the impact of the post–COVID-19 increase in consultations on seasonality was also conducted.

Results: A seasonal pattern was present for total consultations before and after the expansion of telehealth items in the first quarter of 2020. There were peaks in psychiatric consultations in July–September and troughs in January–March, except in patients ≥65 years old. Total consultations were significantly higher in April–June (P = .010) and July–September (P < .001) than in January–March. Seasonal variations were the largest among young patients aged 0–24 years. Seasonality was mostly unaffected by the increase in psychiatric consultations postpandemic. However, seasonality was absent for telehealth consultations.

Conclusion: The seasonality of MBS psychiatric consultations, which was more prominent in young people, may have a practical impact on psychiatric service planning. The lack of seasonal variation in telehealth consultations and its relationship to emergency presentations warrant further research.

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2025;27(3):24m03898

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