health priorities in australia - health care facilities and services Flashcards
What are health care in australia
the role of health care is to provide quality health facilities and services to meet the health needs of all Australian. they provide;
- diagnosis
- treatment
- rehabilitation
- care
health care in australia is a relationship between
- commonwealth, state and local government
- health insurance funds
- public and private providers (doctors)
- institutions (hopsitals)
- community health services
what are the range and types of health care facilities and services
- institutional
- non-institutional
what are institutional health care
health care provided through health care facilities, facilitating care overnight. this includes;
- hospitals (public + private)
- nursing homes
- ambulance
what are institutional health care
health care provided through health care facilities, facilitating care overnight. this includes;
- hospitals (public + private)
- nursing homes
- ambulance
what are non-institutional health care
medical specialists that provide medical treatment outside of a hospital environment . this includes;
- doctors
- specialists (optometrists, chiropractor, physiotherapist)
- allied health
- community and public health
- research organisations
what are the responsibilities of the commonwealth government in health care
- policies/legislations
- finance to state hospitals
- medicare/PBS
- health promotions
what are the responsibilities of the state government in health care
- hospitals
- health promotions
- legislations/laws
what are the responsibilities of the local government in health care
- policies community, health care clinics and services
- support/volunteer groups
expenditure for early intervention and prevention in australia
australia implements options for early intervention and prevention as well as treatment to ensure that the health care system is sustainable for years to come
what is the main prevention expenditure in australia and what do they focus on to improve
heavily focused on chronic disease, illness and injury. this is because they are modifiable, therefore there is a focus on;
- improving lifestyle choices
- increasing exercise and fruit + vegetable intakes
- decreasing alcohol use/drug use and high fat/salt diets
what is the aim of medicare
to decrease inequity for people with low education, language barriers and/or low SES
–> improving access to translators for services and decreases costs for medical services and medication
E.g. pharmaceutical benefit scheme
what is the biggest preventative measures in australia
- cancer screening (breast, skin and colon)
- immunisation (flu, whooping cough, measles and cervical cancer)
what is the aim of health promotions (advertising, strategies, policies, laws etc.)
encourages individuals and communities to make a change in their health behaviours
what is the impact of new and emerging technologies
assists in the decrease of burden of diseases by improving early detection and treatment of disease, illness and injuries
- specific treatment are continually added into the medicare benefit scheme
E.g. cleft lip and palate scheme + child dental benefits
what are some emerging technologies
- artificial organs (kidneys)
- joint replacements
- ultrasounds , MRI and 3D imaging
- keyhole surgery
- HPV vaccine (cervical cancer)
health care in australia
- range and types of health facilities + services
- responsibility for health facilities + services
- equity access to health facilities + services
- health care expenditure vs expenditure on early intervention and prevention
- impact of new emerging treatments and tech on health care E.g. costs and access, benefits of early detections
- health insurance : medicare and private
health insurance in australia
introduced in 1984 to address health inequalities and improve the overall health status of australia by providing health care for everyone
medicare : health insurance
subsidise health care so individuals can access health care and most primary health expenses
- tax payers contribute 2% of their income to fund medicare (medicare levy)
private health insurance
individuals who invest in private health care are not required to pay the medicare levy and receive government rebates towards their insurance
—> an effort the government makes to make private health care more affordable
where can medicare be used
- public hospitals + accomodation
- general practitioner
- child dental care
- optical (after cataract surgery) eye tests
- prescription medicare
- tests needed to treat illness (x-rays, ultrasounds)
what can private health insurance give
- private hospital care + accomodation
- public hospital care + accomodation
- elective surgery
- ambulance
- allied health services (Physio, dental, optical, massage, chiro)
what are alternative health cares
health care which is used instead of conventional medicines
E.g. acupunctures
what is complementary health care
health care which is used along side or as well as conventional medicines
what are reasons for growth of complementary and alternative health care approaches
- increase availability of natural medicine over synthetic options
- increase in migration cultures to australia E.g. chinese medicines
- effectiveness over modern medicine (for some people)
- increased empowerment and control over health choices
range of services and products available
- acupunture
- aromatherapy
- chiropractic
- iridology
- massage
- meditation
what is acupuncture
ancient eastern healing system : traditional chinese medicine
–> uses fine needles which are inserted into the skin, stimulating the mind and the body
what is aromatherapy
use of essential oils to influence or modify the mind, body or spirit. oils can be vaporised, bathes in or used during massage
- used for treating depression, poor sleep, stress or anxiety
what is chiropractic
based on the relationship between the spine, nervous system and musculoskeletal system
- adjustments are made to the spine to remove interference to normal nervous system control, promoting healing and better health
what is iridology
analysis of the human eye to detect signs of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being
what is massage
induces relaxation and reduces blood pressure, stress and anxiety levels
- remedial, therapeutic, sports and swedish massages
assists with rehabilitation and decreases recovery time
what is meditation
state of inner stillness which focuses on an object, breathing, phrase or mantra
- strengthens the immune system
- improves sleep
- lowers blood pressure
- increases motivation
how to make informed consumer choice
look for the; - qualifications - registration - regulation - research of CAM products
