States have much to gain from health reform plan
State governments will have healthier communities, requiring fewer hospitalisations, which will result in lower costs for state and territory budgets if the Australian government’s proposed reform agenda gets their support, says Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) Chair Dr Emil Djakic.
Dr Djakic, who leads the national peak body for Australia’s general practice networks, urged state and territory leaders at this week’s Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) meeting to get behind the reform proposals.
Dr Djakic said a health system with primary health care at the helm would decrease unnecessary hospitalisations and deaths, and improves the focus on preventive care.
“Patients managed in the community are healthier and they are less likely to die than if they go to hospital, according to US research. States should move to support reform for the benefit of their populations,” he said.
States like Victoria with very good community health programs should lead the way in convincing their COAG colleagues that primary health care benefits patients, and hospital waiting times as well, he said.
“It’s logical. If patients are being treated in general practice they are less likely to end up in hospital emergency departments, but also if the chronically ill are able to access properly supported care from their General Practitioner they are less likely to need specialist treatment,” said Dr Djakic.
There is also support from consumers to have more community-based care and to keep patients out of hospitals.
“It’s what health care consumers want, it’s the best model for their care and it’s the most costeffective approach to our health spend – why wouldn’t states want to be part of it?” he said.
Reflecting on the recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, which showed GPs were caring for more patients with more than one chronic condition Dr Djakic said without a focus on general practice care, these cases would be passed on to hospital specialists with the potential to overwhelm the system.
“GPs are managing growing caseloads of patients with multiple conditions. This number will continue to grow. Unless we focus the system on stopping people either developing these conditions, or getting so ill they need hospital care, our system and our health, will fail,” he said.
“Reform of the health system will be forced on us by the health status of the population, we can choose to manage it now, or deal with the consequences later.”
