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OPPOSITION BACKS DOCTORS’ CALLS FOR TELEHEALTH EXTENSION

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Opposition health spokesman, Chris Bowen MP, had called for the introduction of Medicare telehealth rebates early in this health emergency, and was said to have consistently supported reforms to the items to improve patient outcomes.

In a statement to the press, Mr Bowen said the AMA and RACGP had reiterated that the pandemic will not end on 30 September – when Medicare telehealth items are due to cease – and has called on the Government to extend the items until March 2021, in line with the JobKeeper extension.

“Medical and allied health services delivered by telehealth have allowed Australians to access health care from home while reducing COVID-19 risks for patients and health care workers alike,” Mr Bowen said in a statement.

“Labor backs these calls by the AMA and RACGP and urges the Government to extend the telehealth program.”

The Opposition believes the extension should include both telephone and video-conference items, to maintain access and choice for patients and providers – including those who can’t access video services.

It is believed the extension period should be used to agree a long-term future for telehealth, as part of broader efforts to boost the quality and coordination of care.

The Opposition has also urged the Government to extend telehealth access for mental health services in consultation with the sector, and to release and response to the Productivity Commission report on mental health urgently.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

CSIRO SETS SIGHTS ON NEW ‘TEAM AUSTRALIA’ MISSIONS PROGRAM

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The program of large scale, major scientific and collaborative research initiatives, will be aimed at solving some of Australia’s greatest challenges, focused on outcomes that lead to positive impacts, new jobs and economic growth.

 CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said the collaboration and goodwill stimulated by the response to COVID-19 can be harnessed and used to accelerate our recovery, create new jobs and stimulate the economy.

“While COVID-19 will undoubtedly continue to disrupt, Australia will come together through this crisis and build a strong future in the process. We are calling for partners to join this Team Australia approach to solving what seem like unsolvable problems,” Dr Marshall said.

On the centenary of CSIRO’s first mission, to eliminate Prickly Pear, it will direct $100 million annually to the co-creation of missions, working with the brightest minds across the research sector and industry, to help Australia achieve these outcomes:

  • Increase our resilience & preparedness against pandemics
  • Mitigate the impact of disasters: drought, bushfires and floods
  • Create a hydrogen industry to generate a new clean energy export industry
  • Accelerate the transition to agile manufacturing for higher revenue and sovereign supply
  • Overcome our growing resistance to antibiotics, so they keep saving lives
  • Create a national climate capability to navigate climate change uncertainty
  • Help our farmers overcome drought, mitigate climate impacts, increase yield and profitability, create a sustainable Future Protein Industry and leverage the world’s love of Australian-grown food to collectively drive our trusted agriculture and food exports to $100 billion
  • Use technology to navigate Australia’s transition to net zero emissions, without derailing our economy
  • Safeguard the health of our waterways by monitoring the quality of our water resources from space
  • Create new industries that transform raw mineral commodities into unique higher-value products like critical energy metals that build Australia’s value added offering, jobs, and sovereign supply
  • End plastic waste by reinventing the way plastic is made, processed and recycled
  • Double the number of small and medium businesses (SMEs) benefitting from Australian science to become a collaboration nation.

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews welcomed CSIRO’s continued commitment to solving real-world problems.

“Science and technology are our greatest tools when it comes to maximising opportunities and addressing the challenges that face Australia at this time of great upheaval,” Minister Andrews said.

“We need to make sure that our scientists and researchers are working collaboratively with industry to solve real world challenges for the benefit of everyday Australians.”

David Thodey AO, Chair of CSIRO said, “The CSIRO Board fully endorses this Mission-led strategy and is committed to supporting the talented scientists and researchers at CSIRO, our universities and business partners to work together on these challenges for the good of our Nation in these challenging times.”

Dr Marshall said CSIRO was drawing on its 100-year history to develop the missions with its partners across science and industry, to support the nation at a tough time.

“For over a century we have worked with scientists around the country to solve our greatest challenges, and find the opportunities that give Australia her competitive advantage. From our first mission to save our agricultural land from prickly pear, to discovering breakthroughs like fast WiFi, Australia’s first digital computer, our 70-year history in battling bushfires, and our latest vaccine, virus and surgical mask work for COVID-19, CSIRO has always made Australia’s success our mission.”

Dr Alan Finkel, Australia’s Chief Scientist said, “Great science starts with a vision, but vision alone is insufficient. The vision has to be backed by real commitment. That’s what the CSIRO missions are all about, and I hope their rallying call is heard far and wide.”

Dr Brian Schmidt, Vice Chancellor of the Australian National University said, “ANU looks forward to working with CSIRO and its partners to co-design and deliver a national effort to help address some of the globe’s greatest challenges. At this moment, collaborative effort has never been more needed, and ANU will happily answer the call.”

Nick Hazell, v2food Founder and CEO said, “Missions set out a vision for Australia in a future we all can believe in – sustainable and science-led. The Missions are about coming together and using CSIRO science to make the most of Australia’s potential and having a positive impact on the world in light of the challenges we all face.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

First of 2,000 NOTUS emergency ventilators delivered to national medical stockpile

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Executive Chairman, Jefferson Harcourt said the $31.3 million federal government supply contract sees us now manufacturing at speed. “Assembly lines are up and running at Planet Innovation in Box Hill and Medmont International in Nunawading, as part of our expert network of manufacturers and suppliers.”

“We’ve seen ingenuity, resilience and extraordinary collaboration from our myriad of partners in meeting the challenges of our COVID-19 response… And we couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of the Australian government, the Victorian Government and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.” he said.

“Grey Innovation is very proud to have a led this amazing consortium of local companies to produce the NOTUS emergency ventilator to ensure every Australian who might need a ventilator, will have one.”

“Delivery of the first ventilators from the NOTUS project is a testament to the hard work and resilience of the Australian MedTech industry,” said Ian Burgess, MTAA CEO today.

“The impacts of COVID-19 have been felt across the entire healthcare sector and will continue well into the future, but despite these impacts, the Australian MedTech industry has pulled together in an unprecedented effort to support the Morrison Government’s pandemic response,” Mr Burgess said.

Federal Industry, Science and Technology Minister, Karen Andrews, said the agreement had helped Grey Innovation employ 22 new engineers with another 250 jobs created or retained across the suppliers.

“The local production of these ventilators is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when industry and government work together and draw on our highly advanced manufacturing capability”, she said.

“These ventilators are available to be sent anywhere they are needed in Australia and give us an impressive reserve capacity.

“Hopefully they won’t all be needed, but these machines will ensure that our hospitals are well equipped to withstand future surges in intensive care cases.”

The NOTUS Emergency Invasive Ventilator Program is a Grey Innovation-led initiative, supported by the Australian Government, the Victorian Government and AMGC.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

New data reveals insured patients can still face significant out- of-pocket dental costs

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]AIHW spokesperson Dr Adrian Webster said that good oral health is fundamental to general health and wellbeing. Without it, a person’s general quality of life and the ability to eat, speak and socialise is compromised, resulting in pain, discomfort and embarrassment.

‘However, for many Australians, cost may be a barrier to ensuring they receive the care they need, when they need it,’ he said.

The report, Oral health and dental care in Australia, draws together data from a variety of sources to explore the oral health of Australians and their use of dental care services.

Recent data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2017–18, half (50%) of Australians aged 15 and over said they had seen a dentist over the past 12 months. However, a national study of adult oral health conducted by the University of Adelaide found that in the same year, about 2 in 5 (39%) said they avoided or delayed visiting a dentist due to the cost, and this was more common among people who were not covered by private health insurance.

‘More than half (52%) of people without insurance said they avoided the dentist because of the cost, compared with about 1 in 4 (26%) people with insurance,’ Dr Webster said.

Even those people who receive dental treatment using their private health insurance can face substantial out-of-pocket costs. For example, the median out-of-pocket cost after using their health insurance for a full crown was $786. However, there was a great deal of variation between patients, with some paying as little as $26 out of their own pockets, and others paying $1,989.

Other, more routine procedures also saw great variation in out-of-pocket costs even after private health insurance payments.

‘The median out-of-pocket cost for people using private health insurance for a preventive service to remove plaque or stains was $16, but some patients paid up to $82, while others paid nothing,’ Dr Webster said.

Today’s report also suggests that some Australians are more likely to see cost as a barrier than other groups. For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were more likely to report avoiding the dentist due to cost than non-Indigenous Australians (49% compared with 39%), and females were more likely than males (43% compared with 35%).

‘Visiting a dentist regularly has many benefits. These visits provide an opportunity for preventive dental care, which can stop problems developing, and can facilitate treatment to repair or reverse damage to teeth and gums,’ Dr Webster said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

TIME FOR PRIVATE HEALTH INSURERS TO JOIN THE TEAM AGAINST COVID-19

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]MTAA CEO, Ian Burgess, has blasted the health insurers for profiteering and playing politics at a time of national crisis, and called into question the timing and motives of the PHA distraction campaign.

“This dodgy document, produced and distributed by the private health insurers’ lobby, is a blatant attempt to distract from their profiteering during the pandemic, by attacking the hard working healthcare workers who are on the frontlines trying to save lives,” Mr Burgess said.

“In the middle of the COVID  spike in Victoria, and at a time when everyone, federal and state governments, public and private hospitals, government and industry, manufacturers and distributors,  doctors, nurses and allied health professionals are all working together to help save lives, private health profiteers are more interested in smear tactics trying to make an extra buck at the expense of the community.”

The Impacts of COVID-19 have been felt across the entire healthcare sector, and will continue for years to come.  But despite these impacts, MedTech innovators have pulled together in an unprecedented effort to support the Morrison Government’s pandemic response.

Through a historic collaboration with the Government, MedTech successfully secured supply of essential medical equipment, not only through the global supply chain but through a number of innovative local partnerships, that were able to ramp up Australian manufacturing in a remarkably short period of time.

While MedTech innovators have been instrumental in securing essential supplies of ventilators, test kits and PPE for the Government, private health profiteers have raked in windfall profits on the back of the pandemic, while simultaneously cutting back on claims for hospitals and extras since the suspension of non-urgent elective surgeries in late March.

Mr Burgess highlighted the timing of the dodgy document’s release, just ahead of private health insurers’ annual profit reporting period.

“There’s no question that the release of this dodgy document was an attempt to start a distraction campaign aimed at drawing attention away from the private health insurance companies profiteering during the COVID-19,” Mr Burgess said.

“These political tactics and smears are an insult to the healthcare workers who have been focused on getting Australia through this once in a generation health crisis. It’s time now for private health insurers to stop putting profits ahead of people and join the team against COVID-19.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

NEW AMA PRESIDENT CALLS TO REVIVE ECONOMY

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The election, at the AMA’s National Conference, follows the conclusion of the two-year term of President Dr Tony Bartone and Vice President Dr Chris Zappala.

Dr Khorshid, an orthopaedic surgeon in Perth and a former AMA WA President, said governments should increase medical, health, and aged care expenditure to both combat COVID-19 and help the economy avoid prolonged recession.

“State and Federal Governments have rightly funded the response effort to COVID-19,” Dr Khorshid said.

“Yet the Victorian aged care crisis, that could so easily occur in any State, arises from years of underinvestment in nursing, general practice and specialist geriatric care in aged care services.

“The crisis in mental health, that will get worse the longer COVID-19 is with us, arises from decades of underinvestment.

“Nations that adopt austerity and neglect health spending during recessions have taken longer to return to economic growth, and their populations have been sicker.

“Yet where nations have increased health expenditure or directed stimulus funding to health care needs, their economies recover faster and populations have been healthier.

“Given my term as AMA President will see Australia living with COVID-19 and its induced economic downturn, I’m putting governments on notice it is time to spend, and not cut health.”

Dr Khorshid said his priorities for his term as AMA President are to:

  • Reaffirm the AMA as a strong, independent voice for health, with a critical role to hold governments to account, particularly on their handling of COVID-19;
  • Restart efforts to address financial sustainability of the Nation’s public and private health system, and to fully utilise and develop the quality and capacity of public and private care;
  • Halt the slide towards funder directed managed care;
  • Promote the value and cost effectiveness of high quality General Practice at the core of the health system and as a gateway to more expensive care;
  • Foster better gender equity within the leadership of the medical profession;
  • Seek action from governments and the community on important public health issues, including climate change and climate health.

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AUSMIN 2020 GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY STATEMENT

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As part of the 2020 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN), the two countries have agreed on an AUSMIN Global Health Security Statement, which commits them to strengthening their health cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in 2020 and beyond.

Together, Australia and the United States have committed to helping build Indo-Pacific partner capacity in biosecurity, biosafety and bio-surveillance to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks and reduce the risk of future pandemics.

The two nations said they will work with countries in the region to improve hygiene conditions, and mitigate zoonotic disease and pandemic risks associated with wildlife wet markets. They will also work to strengthen public health emergency operations centres in selected partner countries, such as Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, said the partnership between the two countries plays a significant role in improving and advancing health security across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Statement, which has been developed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the United States Department of State, builds on Australia’s Health Security Initiative for the Indo-Pacific region, and the United States’ Global Health Security Strategy.

Australia and the United States will continue to work with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to accelerate the development and distribution of vaccines, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to improve vaccine access in the world’s poorest countries.

In addition to the immense health and social impact, the IMF has projected that the COVID-19 pandemic will cost the world US$9 trillion dollars over the next two years. Australia will remain committed to participation in regional and global health forums, including with the United States.

Minister Payne said that more than ever before, both Australia and the United States recognise the need for concrete action and leadership to support global health security in our region.

The full text of the statement can be found here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

International collaboration on digital health best practice supports global response to COVID-19 pandemic

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The GDHP is currently chaired by India. Mr Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India is the GDHP Secretariat Lead.

Mr Agarwal said “Sharing digital health information is now more important than ever as individual nations and the global community respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“These White Papers will provide both participant and non-participant countries and territories with guidance on the key digital health enablers that can lead in improving the health and well-being of citizens at national and sub-national levels through the best use of evidence-based digital technologies.”

The reports provide insights, guidance and information on cutting edge digital innovation for digital health workers, governments and organisations providing digital health services, and the communities they serve across the globe.

They are a valuable source of information that provide a catalyst for positive change, with insights and international comparisons of our digital health systems with countries around the world.

One key trend of GDHP members’ digital health systems are efforts to empower citizens to have greater involvement in the management of their own healthcare. This is evidenced in Australia in statistics published by the Australian Digital Health Agency which show consumers are uploading and viewing more of their My Health Record documents.

Chief Medical Adviser at the Agency and Chair of the Evidence and Evaluation work stream for the GDHP, Clinical Professor Meredith Makeham, said the Agency had supported and led the development of the White Papers over the past year, working with more than 30 countries from around the world.

“International collaboration is critical to improving health outcomes for all,” she said.

“Many countries and territories are still at the beginning of their digital health journey, so providing insights in key areas of common interest through our GDHP participation is fundamentally beneficial and supports our goals to improve health and well-being for people.”

“Our experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance of international engagement, and the critical role that digital health technologies play in ensuring that people have access to their healthcare providers and services. Digital health has never been more important.”

“I want to highlight the role Australia has played in establishing the GDHP as the inaugural Chair of the partnership and host of its first summit in early 2018. Since then we’ve benefitted from the opportunity to share valuable insights on digital health service delivery for our citizens that have been informed by the cutting-edge work of GDHP participants around the world,” she said.

Comments from other GDHP Work Stream Chairs:

Dr Don Rucker, National Coordinator for Health IT, US Department of Health and Human Services said “Sharing information using health data standards for interoperability is necessary to advance public health reporting and research which are key parts of an evidence-driven response to pandemics. Now, more than ever, increasing collaboration and sharing best practices around the world, not just within countries and territories, is critical to advance interoperability together globally.”

Shelagh Maloney, Executive Vice President, Engagement and Marketing, Canada Health Infoway and Chair Clinical and Consumer Engagement work stream said “Over the last decade there has been a universal shift in thinking; one where there was little to no support for providing citizens with access to their information, to present day, where we are accelerating efforts to provide citizens access to information in an equitable and secure manner. As governments around the world grapple with this new reality, and citizens in many jurisdictions are asked to remain home for public health, it has never been more critical for citizens to access their health information remotely: wherever and whenever it’s needed.”

The four GDHP White Papers are:

  • Advancing Interoperability Together Globally
  • Citizen Access to Digital Health
  • Benefits Realisation: Sharing insights
  • Foundational Capabilities Framework & Assessment

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Empowering Australians Through Health Literacy – Liz Carnabuci

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Carnabuci[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Health literacy is a significant issue for Australia. Digital health literacy – the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem – is at alarmingly low levels in Australia. It’s been said that almost 60% of Australians aged 15–74 have a relatively lower level on health literacy.

Why is this important? Because, low individual health literacy is associated with higher use of health services, low levels of knowledge among consumers and variable health outcomes. It has been estimated that people with low individual health literacy are between one-and-a-half and three times more likely to experience an adverse outcome. In an industry focussed on alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life – it’s all of our responsibility to improve literacy levels.

But how much is appropriate? Low health literacy in Australia will not be addressed if people cannot find the local, accurate and relevant information they need to make informed decisions with their healthcare professional – and ultimately, of course, decisions lie with the clinicians.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care separates health literacy into two parts:

  • Individual health literacy – the skills, knowledge, motivation and capacity of a person to access, understand, appraise and apply information to make effective decisions about health and health care and take appropriate action.
  • Health literacy environment – the infrastructure, policies, processes, materials, people and relationships that make up the health system and have an impact on the way that people access, understand, appraise and apply health-related information and services.[i]

As an industry we can responsibly help shape the health literacy environment. It’s been estimated that one in every 20 Google searches is health related. Two in five Australians have used internet searches to avoid seeing a doctor (80% among 10-34), and 84% of people go online first for health information.

However, despite the high propensity to consume information, there is information asymmetry between providers and consumers. The consequence is an impact on decision making and reduced ability to access appropriate healthcare. This especially true of conditions which have an unfair stigma, or a complicated diagnosis pathway.

In an ecosystem where it is expected that companies will communicate with their customers and make information available, are we doing enough within the healthcare industry to promote accurate and relevant therapy-centric, community conversations on health? The way we adopt local advertising regulation holds the key.

To empower health literacy, advertising regulation must be consistent with the way consumers access and consume information – and we must adapt responsibly to it.  Responding to requests for information in public forums; engaging in public discussion; and, the provision of information to assist people make informed healthcare decisions are all part of a ‘brave new world’ to support consumers make informed decisions about their health. Ask yourself, are you doing enough to advance health literacy? How would you move this conversation forward – and let’s talk to improve health literacy for better patient outcomes.

[i] https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/patient-and-consumer-centred-care/health-literacy

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Liz Carnabuci is the Vice President of Medtronic Australasia and Vice President Diabetes for Medtronic APAC.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Virtual Healthcare needs to be part of a new-not old-health system – Alison Verhoeven

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H[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]To limit virtual healthcare in this way is to squander the opportunity for healthcare reform and a better health system in the longer term – and that is the main message from our report, The effective and sustainable adoption of virtual health care.

 The current implementation of telehealth has certainly met some short-term and important needs in the health system – but to achieve lasting system transformation will require sustained policy efforts across big-picture areas such as funding, governance and workforce.

So far, we’ve substituted GP and outpatient clinic visits with phone calls and videoconferencing; we’ve made some limited foundational improvements such as e-prescribing; and in some places, such as in “virtual hospitals”, there has been some reading of tasks and processes.

However, a foreword-looking approach to virtual healthcare would involve planning to embrace the opportunities which may be available, for example, through remote monitoring, data-driven quality improvement, artificial intelligence and other innovations, to create new models of care.

To maximise the long-term benefits of virtual healthcare, we think some key areas of focus should be:

  • Patient-centredness, including codesign with patients, and measuring what matters to patients;
  • Equity, including proactive efforts to ensure affordability, equitable access to technology and digital literacy;
  • Cross-sector leadership and governance, across jurisdictions and the primary and acute care sectors, and in partnership with industry and researchers;
  • Digitally-capable health workforce development, prioritising team-based care and new roles needed to optimise integration of technology into health care;
  • Interoperability, standards and quality assured technology; and
  • Funding for reforms, including better use of data and evaluation.

Now – more than ever – as we face the most significant health and economic challenges experienced in a century, we need big-picture thinking and serious policy reform efforts that are agile and innovative.

We cannot shy away from disruptive thinking and the need to do business differently in order to achieve better rentals that take full advantage of the modern technologies available to us.

Equally, we should not sacrifice new thinking in order to maintain current healthcare practices, processes and professional interests.

You can read AHHA’s report on the effective and sustainable adoption of virtual healthcare here.[/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alison Verhoeven is the Chief Executive of the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association, the national peak body for public and non-profit hospitals, Primary Health Networks, and community and primary healthcare services.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]