In general, an ultrasound scan may only be performed at COGUS when the patient presents with a signed valid ultrasound request form by a registered medical practitioner with a Medicare provider number.

Medicare (Health Insurance Commission, HIC) places a duty on the referring doctor to identify and to refer such patients with acceptable medical requirement/s to have an ultrasound scan performed. Accordingly, it is not permissible to perform a 3D ultrasound scan merely to look at the foetal face or identify foetal gender for social reasons.

It is not necessary that a written request for an ultrasound scan be addressed to a particular doctor or that if the ultrasound request is addressed to a particular doctor, the service must be rendered by that doctor. COGUS will generally perform an ultrasound scan on a patient even when the scan request form is written or printed out to be performed by another named ultrasound doctor or radiologist.

A written ultrasound scan request form is not generally required in emergency situations such as potentially life threatening/ endangering situations.