We find ourselves right now at a pivotal point in the development of Australia’s most important digital health project: The My Health Record. The move of the MHR program towards the “opt out” deadline next week has focused critical scrutiny on issues of access, security and privacy to, and of,...

What does it mean to have a chronic [1] condition? What do the acronyms BAU [2] , CCF [3] or ARP [4] stand for? Would a new migrant understand the term bulk-billed [5] ? Among the many words submitted to the jargon blacklist for Drop the Jargon Day, these terms are often confusing and meaningless...

youth_health_forum_oph-075.jpg With over 50 young people from around Australia arriving in Canberra for this exciting event, CHF’s first Youth Health Forum held on 18 and 19 September, was a huge success. The event brought together youth leaders and nominees of youth and community organisations,...

With an estimated 9 million Australians taking prescription medicine every day and more than 230,000 Australians hospitalised each year with problems caused by their medicine, it is more important than ever for consumers to be equipped with the right information and resources regarding their...

Want more information about My Health Record? Check out our series of webinars with experts, consumers and representatives from government that cover all the major issues: chf.org.au/hub-my-health-record-webinar-series This article was first published in Croakey , a social journalism project that...

Much of modern health care can be delivered more effectively when it is provided and coordinated in the community, at or near the patient’s home. This is what true patient-centred care is about. We are in an age where consumers demand a responsive healthcare system, are vocal about the...

This article was first published in Croakey , a social journalism project that enables debate and investigations of health issues and policy. Has patient-focused care kept pace with the profound advances we see in medical treatment? Medical science now knows more about our bodies than ever – from...

CHF invites expressions of interest from consumer representatives who have NOT previously applied to join clinical committees which are reviewing Medicare benefits. Interested consumer representatives need to apply by midnight AEST on Sunday 6 May 2018 . Medicare is Australia’s universal health...

This article was first published in John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations blog. The anguish expressed by many of the 1,200 respondents to the Consumers Health Forum’s Out of Pocket Pain survey highlights the widening gulf between the cost of modern medical care and the struggle of many Australians...

While in the real world consumers struggle to meet private health care costs, health funds are hoping for yet more government help.