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What role do health care facilities and services play in achieving better health for all Australians?
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Nature of Health Care in Australia
Role of health care - Is to provide public health services, including hospitals and public health administration. The private health sector includes general practitioners, medical specialists or dentists.
Range and types of health facilities and services Two different types of health care facilities:
Institutional care Involves hospitals, both private and public and nursing homes.
Non-institutional care- All medical facilities such as GPs, dentists, OT, etc.
Access to health facilities and services Concerns the health systems ability to provide affordable and appropriate health care. Looks at equal distribution of health facilities and services. Most people have access to health care through Medicare. However there are financial restraints, geographical problems, education and culture differences that can pose a problem.
Responsibility for health care The responsibilities of health care mainly lie with state and territory govts with federal govts providing the cash for the state govts. The state govts provide hospitals, develop legislation for health services, and provided other varied health services. Local govts provide preventative measures such as immunisation programs. The private sector makes up a majority of the health system, such as physios and private hospitals and also includes non profit organisations such as the Cancer Council.
Funding of health care in Australia
Health insurance Medicare is the public health insurance. Funded by the Medicare levy, which is 1.5 % unless you earn over $50,000 then its 2.5%.
Costs of health care to consumers Despite Medicare and PBS health care still may be expensive without having Private health insurance. Medicare doesnt cover preventative strategies for health.
Health care expenditure versus health promotion expenditure Significant increases have occurred in health prevention expenditure, however still 90% of budget is spent on curative services. Govts reluctant to change expenditure as benefits not seen in short term.
Alternative health care approaches
Reasons for growth of alternative medicines and health care approaches people not happy with traditional medicines, looks trendy, sometimes cheaper than traditional, like avoiding drug use, courses available in universities.
Range of services available Involve acupuncture (insertion of small needles at pressure points in the body), chiropractors (manipulation of the back), Homeopathy, Naturopathy (holistic approach), Herbal medicines (Use of plants to make medicines), Yoga (mediation, breathing exercises), Massages.
How to make informed consumer choices Seek traditional medical advice, research qualifications, read independent articles about health care, inquire with Govt authorities, Aus Natural therapist assoc for list of accredited practitioners.