Health Care In Australia Flashcards
Define the biomedical model of health
Focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness. It is a medical model of care practised by doctors and health professionals and is associated with the diagnosis, cure and treatment of the disease.
Define the social model of health
A conceptual framework within which improvements in health and wellbeing are achieved by directing effort towards addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants of health.
Define the Ottawa charter for health promotion
An approach to health development by WHO that attempts to reduce inequities in health. The Ottawa charter for health promotion was developed from the social model and defines health promotion as ‘the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health’.
What are the main aspects of the biomedical model of health?
Diagnosis: Identification of the disease or illness through a doctor’s observations of symptoms or through a diagnostic test.
Intervention: Action taken to improve health, via medical treatment, hospitalisation, prescriptions or surgery.
What are the principles of the social model of health?
- Addresses the broader determinants of health
- Involves intersect oral collaboration
- Acts to reduce social inequities
- Acts to enable access to health care
- Empowers individuals and communities
What are the prerequisites for health promotion?
- Peace
- Education
- Adequate food
- Shelter
- Stable ecosystem
- Social justice and equity
- Sustainable resources
What are the three strategies for health promotion?
Advocate: Refers to actions that seek to gain support from governments and societies in general to help make the changes necessary to improve the determinants of health for all.
Enable: Aims to reduce differences in health status by between population groups by ensuring equal opportunities and resources are available to achieve optimal health.
Mediate: Relates to helps groups resolve conflict and producing outcomes that promote health.
What are the five action areas of the Ottawa charter?
- Build a health public policy: Enforcing policies to promote the health of those who choose not to participate in healthy behaviours.
- Create supportive environments: Promotes health by helping people practice healthy lifestyle choices.
- Strengthen community action: Focuses on building links between individuals and the community, and centres around the community working together to achieve a common goal.
- Develop personal skills: Educating people so they can make informed decisions that indirectly affect health.
- Reorient health services: Reorienting the health system so it promotes health as opposed to focusing only on diagnosing and treating conditions.
Define VicHealth
A Victorian government funded body that works with organisations, communities and individuals. The main concerns of VicHealth are health promotion and illness prevention.
What are VicHealth’s missions?
- In partnership with others, promote good health
- Recognise that the social and economic conditions for all people influence their health.
- Promote fairness and opportunity for better health.
- Support initiatives that assist individuals, communities, workplaces and broader society to improve wellbeing.
- Seek to prevent chronic conditions for all Victorians.
What are the strategic priorities of VicHealth?
- Promote healthy eating
- Encourage regular physical activity
- Prevent tobacco use
- Prevent harm from alcohol
- Improve mental wellbeing
What is the role of the federal government’s responsibility for health?
- The administration of Medicare. This includes funding of the Medicare system, relevant legislation relating to Medicare and the day-to-day running of the scheme.
- The administration of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: The federal government funds the PBS and decides which medications will be included under the scheme.
- Quaratine: The federal government is responsible for protecting Australia’s borders, which includes making sure that no biological or environmental hazards enter the country.
- Funding: The federal government oversees to funding of the health system , including allocating funds to state and territory governments for the running of public hospitals.
- Regulation: The federal government regulates many aspects of the health system to ensure it runs effectively. These regulations relate to the availability of pharmaceuticals, the private health insurance industry and developing laws relating to food safety.
What are the roles of sate and local governments’ responsibility for health?
State and territory governments: -Delivery of health services -Regulatory responsibilities Local governments: -Contribute to the health and wellbeing of their citizens by focusing on the needs and challenges faced by the local people. Eg. Water quality testing or health inspections of restaurants.
Explain private health insurance
Private health insurance is a type of insurance under which members pay a premium in return for payment towards health related costs not covered by Medicare.
What are the private health insurance incentives used to encourage people to take up private health insurance?
Private health insurance rebate: Policy holders receive a 30% rebate on their premiums for private health insurance.
Lifetime Health Cover: People who take up private insurance after the age of 31 pay an extra 2% on their premiums for every year they are over 30.
Medicare Levy Surcharge: People earning more than $90,000 a year pay an extra tax as a Medicare Levy Surcharge if they do not purchase private health insurance.
