11: Health care system Flashcards
Define a healthcare system
an organisation of people, institutions and resources that provide health care services to meet the health needs of a population.
A good health system as one that ‘delivers quality services to all people, when and where they need them’ (WHO 2018).
Define primary healthcare
= refers to an individuals first contact with the health care system
includes; GP’s, nurse, midwife, dentist, physio, dietician etc
can also include health promotion, prevention and early intervention.
=refers to health care received from general medical and dental practitioners, community pharmacists and other allied health professionals working in the community. - basic and first-line care provided to patients.
What are the benefits of primary healthcare
- supports improving health
- provides treatment for illness’
- incorporates health promotion
- disease prevention activities
helps people with chronic illness’ manage their health in the home or community.
Define secondary healthcare
health care is provided by a specialist of a facility usually from a referral from a primary health care providers.
Secondary health care is provided by provided by doctors and nurses and other health care professionals usually in a hospital setting.
Define tertiary health care
health care is specialised care provided by specialised healthcare professionals.
Do each area of healthcare work alone?
Primary-secondary-tertiary health care does not occur in isolation and nurses/midwives work in all of these areas!
Through what services is healthcare delivered in Aus?
- health promotion
- education programs
- Diagnosis
- treatment and preventative services in the community
- treatment and care in hospitals
- rehabilitation programs
palliative care
What are the different ways health care can be provided?
- Health promotion (week 10 content)
- Primary healthcare
- Specialist services
- Hospitals
What is the aim of health promotion?
aimed at prevention and improving the overall health of the population
How is health promotion seen?
Through;
- educational programs to promote health literacy
- public awareness/health promotion campaigns
- population health programs
What are some examples of health promotion initiatives
- health promotion campaigns
- screening programs, immunisation programs
- alcohol & drug abuse prevention programs
- education (safe-sex, domestic violence etc).
Define specialist services
when individuals have a specific or complex diagnosis or health condition.
- sometimes described as a ‘secondary’ healthcare service,
What are examples of specialist services?
- antenatal services
- mental health services
- radiotherapy treatment
- surgeons
- obstetricians
- pathology
- imaging
What is necessary to seek a specialist service
a referral from a primary healthcare provider
Describe public hospitals
- owned and managed by state and territory gov
- include outpatient services and emergency department
Describe private hospitals
- owned and managed by either for-profit or non-for-profit organisations.
Define non-admitted patient services
when patients are treated without being admitted
e.g. in emergency departments before they are treated and sent home or referred somewhere else.
- public usually have more of these services then private
Describe the process of an outpatient clinic
patients can be consulted by a doctor, have diagnostic procedures, receive allied healthcare without being admitted to the hospital.
What 4 elements fund healthcare in Australia
- government
- non-government organisations
- private health insurers
- individuals (when they pay out-of-pocket costs for products and services that is not subsidised)
When did medicare begin?
1984
What is medicare?
Australias’s universal healthcare system since 1984 funded by the Aus government.
Who is provided medicare?
Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents in Australia and people from 11 other agreed countries
What does medicare cover?
public healthcare services including hospital care.
Some other healthcare services such as;
- some visits to some GPs
What is the MBS
Medicare benefits scheme= a list of all services the gov as agreed to subsidise.
- has medicare sfatey net.
What is the medicare safety net?
designed to provide additional financial relief for people with high medical costs by reducing their out of pocket costs. When an individual or family receives many services in a year, the Medicare Safety Net reduces their out of pocket costs for services received out-of-hospital.
- access to the safety net is decided by assessing your expenditure on health acre through a calendar year from jan 1 to dec 31.
What is the PBS?
a list of medications that are commonly used and so the government agrees ti subsidise them.
- makes them more affordable particularly for those who continually use them.
- patient only pays a fraction of the actual cost and the gov pays the rest
Beneficial for those who have lots of medication.
Explain the 2 types of private health insurance
- hospital cover
- general cover (‘extras’ such as dental, physio, optometry services)
individuals can choose to get one or both.
What factor will influence an individuals choice private health issurance
- age
- occupation
- finances
- needs
Does the government help individuals pay private health insurance?
yes, a little bit
List some of the responsibilities of the Australian government
- Medicare benefits schedule (MBS)
- PBS
- regulation of private health insurance
- supporting and monitoring public health services
- publish health info/stats via AIHW
- subsidise aged care services
- fund research
- fund veterians
- control ATSI primary healthcare
- buying vaccines
- subsidising hearing services
- coordinating organ and tissue transplant
- coordinating national responses in pandemics/disaster
- ensuring supply and affordable blood products are available
- ensure safe food supply
List some of the responsibilities of the state territory and local gov responsibilities
- managing and administering public hospitals
- delivering preventative services e.g. screening and immunisations
- funding and managing community and mental health services
- public dental clinics
- ambulance and emergency services
- patient transport
- food after and handling regulations
- regulating, inspecting, licensing and monitoring health premises.
List shared responsibilities of the Aus gov and state gov.
funding public hospital services
- preventive services e.g. free cancer screening programs
- registering and accrediting health professionals ‘- funding palliative acre
- national mental health reform
- responding to national health emergencies
Who is responsible for registering health care professionals
Majority of Australia’s healthcare workforce are registered by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
What is the greatest growing demand on the healthcare system
the ageing population
Why are chronic diseases an issue for the Australian healthcare system
they are;
- becoming more prevalent
- they are chronic so long lasting
- require ongoing healthcare
