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Health reform too important to get wrong
18 April 2010.
AMA Victoria today recommended that Victorian Premier John Brumby not sign up to the Commonwealth’s health reform package at the Council of Australian Governments meeting until it includes extra funds to increase bed capacity in Victoria’s public hospitals.
"We need to get health reform right," said AMA Victoria President Dr Harry Hemley. "There is no point signing Victoria up to an agreement that won’t provide real reforms in this state. Victoria’s public hospital system is strained and in desperate need of additional serviced beds.
"I hope an agreement will be reached but taking time to get the right agreement will be worth it. We need a solid base for the health reform – a funding structure which increases transparency, reduces blame-gaming and does not add extra bureaucracy. A hospital funding pool meets this criteria."
Dr Hemley said casemix, or activity-based funding, and local hospital boards of governance worked well in Victoria and could improve efficiencies in other states, but Victorian patients deserved more from the deal.
"Victoria’s casemix funding model has been successful in driving efficiencies in our public hospitals but funding shortfalls mean patients wait too long for care.
"The final health reform agreement must deliver extra funds to ease the pressure on our hospitals and improve healthcare access for sick and injured Victorians."
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