Time to tweak the MBS to boost cardiac auscultation: cardiologist

Patients and doctors need greater awareness of the threat from undiagnosed heart valve disease, Professor Tom Marwick says
Professor Tom Marwick
Professor Tom Marwick.

The MBS heart health check item number should be updated to include cardiac auscultation in a bid to diagnose valvular heart disease before patients present with an acute event, a leading cardiologist says.

At least half a million Australians currently have some form of the disease, and this figure is expected double by 2051, new figures show.