Download PDF The mental health of Australians has been the cornerstone of my career. From my frontline work as a psychologist in major NSW hospitals to my current role as CEO of the Australian Patients Association, my focus has always been unwavering: putting patients first. It is from this perspective that I find the looming mass resignation of 201 out of 260 public hospital staff specialist psychiatrists in NSW deeply troubling. This drastic action, a response to unmet demands for
Category: Opinion
Original Article: https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/health-and-wellness/price-must-be-right-to-put-obesity-pill-on-the-pbs-20250106-p5l2av Download PDF It is vital that the gatekeepers of the scheme hold the line on the cost benefits of blockbuster drugs. Whether to fully subsidise the new-generation weight loss drugs such as Mounjaro and Ozempic for obese Australians without diabetes represents one of the most challenging decisions in years for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). The drugs are known collectively as GLP-1 agonists, and no other class of medications has gained such a foothold in the
Original Article: https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/mediscare-he-said-she-said-insults-voters-intelligence-20250106-p5l2b4 Download PDF A Labor- Coalition clash over bulk-billing is not only foolish, but masks the fact that much more must be done to keep our healthcare system fit for purpose. Since the demise of the Abbott government’s $7 mandatory GP co-payment, a 2014 budget measure, Medicare bulk-billing for general practitioner services has become more of an untouchable sacred cow than ever. It has become as preserved in political aspic as the sclerotic, chaotic and inefficient National
From: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/visible-hand-marc-miller-50bxe/?trackingId=zGWbrElP1XAxlm5DK64e6g%3D%3D The Visible Hand Strategy + Transactions December 11, 2024 Government intervention and regulation long ago put a stake through the heart of free markets, none more so than in private health insurance (PHI) in Australia. While subsidising premiums for lower income consumers to the tune of c. $6.7bn p/annum, the Commonwealth imposes an unparalleled level of regulation upon the market, the following being a non-exhaustive list: • The model of PHI is imposed – community (not risk) rated
From: https://www.ausdoc.com.au/opinion/my-fit-and-active-patient-woke-up-to-find-an-nfr-on-her-hospital-record-the-scourge-of-ageism/ My patient presented to a private hospital, haemorrhaging, and was assessed as too unstable to be managed there. She was transferred to the ED of a public hospital and taken straight into resuscitation. She was asked if she wanted to be resuscitated. “It depends on what I have,” she said. At that point no-one knew. She was asked if she had an advance care directive. “Yes,” she told them. Did she bring it with her? No,
Source | PDF Independent hospital pricing an opportunity for genuine health reform The reality is private hospitals need fairer agreements with health funds. Providers, insurers, and government need to start a conversation. Martin Bowles | CEO Calvary Health Care As models of care and medical technology continue to advance, patient outcomes in Australia remain second to none. Our healthcare structure stands out in its balance of public and private sectors complementing each other to offer patients both accessibility and choice.