Search the MBS - Hint Sheet

Advice on how to use the MBS Online Search the MBS functionality.

Page last updated: 27 April 2023

Search using ...

  1. Item Number
  2. Item Number Range
  3. Wildcard (*)
  4. Conjunctions (and or +)

Item Number Search

For example searching for individual MBS item number – 23
    • Enter 23 in the ‘Search box’.
    • Select the ‘Search on Item Numbers only’ radio button.
    • Press [Search >].

Item Number Range Search

For example searching for item numbers – 3, 23, 75009 to 75021(inclusive)

As for ‘Item Number Search’, substituting the item ranges (separated by commas) for the item number.
    • Enter 3, 23, 75009-75021 in the ‘Search box’.
    • Select the ‘Search on Item Numbers only’ radio button.
    • Press [Search >].

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Wildcard (*)

The ‘*’ wildcard can be used as a replacement for a group of letters within a search word. For example searching for – Oesoph*
    • Enter oesoph* in the ‘Search box’ (do not use quotes).
    • Select the ‘Search all’ radio button.
    • Press [Search >].

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Conjunctions (and / or / +)

A search for phrases containing words separated by the conjunction and will return references where all the specified words are present. For example searching for – Ultrasound associated with vascular.
    • Enter Ultrasound and vascular in the ‘Search box’ (do not use quotes).
    • Select the ‘Search all’ radio button.
    • Press [Search >].

Please note: The search system assumes that a space between words substitutes for and. Therefore, in this example, the search entry – Ultrasound vascular, would return the same result as – Ultrasound and vascular, as would the entry - Ultrasound + vascular.

A search for phrases containing words separated by the conjunction or, will return references where either of the specified words are present. For example search for instances where – Ultrasound or vascular are present.
    • Enter Ultrasound or vascular in the ‘Search box’ (do not use quotes).
    • Select the ‘Search all’ radio button.
    • Press [Search >].

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