Health Care System In Australia Research Articles

Recent changes in mental health legislation and government policy in psychiatric care in Australia

There have been a number of recent changes in mental health care legislation in Australia some of which mirror the changes that have occurred in the UK. These are reviewed within the context of the differing health care system in Australia and with particular reference to the State of New South Wales.

Health care technology in Australia

The health care system in Australia is pluralistic, complex, and only loosely organized. The Commonwealth government is primarily concerned with funding programs and the development of broad policies. The introduction and diffusion of health care technologies in Australia is determined by a complex interaction of market forces, public funding, and regulation. Australia became involved in health care technology assessment in 1982. In 1990, activities were reorganized and the Australian Health Technology Advisory Committee (AHTAC) was formed at the national level. Despite limited funding, Australia has had some significant successes in informing policy through appropriately targeted, well-timed assessment.

Markets, budgets, and health care cost control.

Health care cost control is often debated in terms of markets versus bureaucracies. Market restraints are limited in practice by the goal of providing access to care. Therefore, effective cost control requires budgeting. Experience from budgeting for other services should put health care cost control in perspective: The goal should not be rational and efficient allocations, merely better ones. The important choice is not between markets and bureaucracy, but rather which decisions should be made by physicians and which by budgeters, and how to ensure that professional judgment is applied where most important.

The primary prevention of illness: A psychological perspective

Health care systems in Australia are focused primarily on the treatment of presenting illness. Much of this illness is known to be psycho-social in origin. Primary intervention, by psychologists am...