An electronic bulk-billing consent form patients sign in seconds
From 1 July 2026 the Assignment of Benefit is modernised — the old paper forms are retired and verbal consent is being phased out over a 12-month transition (to 30 June 2027), after which every bulk-billed claim needs a signed AoB. Clinically turns that obligation into a link: your PMS sends it, the patient signs on their phone, and a compliant record files itself.
What a valid consent form must contain
The regulation doesn't prescribe a layout — it prescribes information. The agreement must show the patient's name, the agreement date, whether it's a pre- or post-agreement, the provider's identifying details, the service date, and the service itself (the MBS item for a post-agreement, or the official Basic Service Description for a pre-agreement). It must say whether the signer is the patient, and the patient or their assignor must sign it. The full rules — including minors, assignors and multi-service visits — are in our guide to the 1 July changes.
Every consent form Clinically presents carries that data set in full, pre-filled from your appointment details, before the patient signs.
How SMS consent works
- Your PMS sends the link — Best Practice, Medical Director, Genie and others merge the patient's name and appointment details into a per-service link template, sent from your own SMS or email path. Clinically never sees or holds the patient's mobile number.
- The patient taps and signs — the form opens pre-filled, shows the full data set, confirms their date of birth, and captures a signature. Under a minute, nothing to install.
- The record files itself — a branded PDF returns to the practice with a per-consent audit trail, retrievable in one click for the two-year retention window.
QR posters and tablet kiosks
Not every consent starts with a text. A printable QR poster at reception lets walk-ins open the same form on their own phone, and a tablet in kiosk mode covers patients without one. All three paths produce the same signed, auditable record.
Why "reply YES" SMS falls short
Some practices plan to put the whole data set in an SMS and ask the patient to reply YES. It works on paper, but three gaps are worth weighing before you commit to it:
- A YES from a mobile number is a weaker identifier than a signature captured on a form — the Electronic Transactions Act reliability test still has to be met.
- The full data set runs to 3–4 SMS segments per consent (roughly 30–40c), against one short segment (~10c) for a link.
- When someone signs on the patient's behalf, a "reply ASSIGN" workaround leaves the assignor's authority unverified.
The changes guide sets out the character-count economics in detail.
What it costs
Clinically charges $0.10 + GST per submitted consent — you pay nothing for links that are never signed. Sending the link costs whatever your SMS path charges for one short segment (roughly 10c), or near-nothing by email, QR or kiosk. There are no licence fees and no per-practitioner seats.
Common questions
Does this replace the DB4e form?
Yes. The DB4e and DB020 are retired on 1 July 2026 and there's no new mandatory form — the requirement is the data set plus a signature, which is exactly what the electronic form captures. More in our DB4e replacement guide.
Is an SMS-link signature legally valid?
The Electronic Transactions Act's three tests — identifies the signer, reliable as appropriate, signer agreed to the method — are what the form is designed around. Whether they're met in your circumstances is one for your privacy officer or legal advisor; the regulation itself mandates no PINs, expiry windows or other technical specifics.
What about patients without a phone?
QR poster, tablet kiosk, email, or paper that mirrors the data set. A relative or carer can sign as assignor where the patient can't sign themselves.
Does verbal consent still need the full information?
Yes. Verbal assignment of benefit stays valid during the 12-month transition to 30 June 2027, but it's not a yes/no shortcut — you must still present the same required information to the patient (provider, the service or its Basic Service Description, the dates, and that they're assigning their benefit as full payment so they won't be charged), record that they agreed, and keep it for two years. Clinically's "Record verbal consent" reads that information as a script and files the record for you.
How long do we keep the records?
Two years from the claim. Clinically keeps every signed agreement retrievable in one click, and patients can be given a copy on request.
Ready before 1 July?
Set up takes a few minutes: confirm your practice, pick your services, and your per-service links — SMS templates, QR poster and kiosk mode included — are ready to drop into your PMS.