13 July 2022 Submission
Consumers Health Forum

Submission from Consumers Health Forum  on the expansion of Telehealth Services, to the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)

The objective of this audit is to assess whether the Department of Health has effectively managed the expansion of telehealth services during and post the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Audit criteria 

The ANAO proposes to examine:

  • Was the expansion informed by robust planning and policy advice?
  • Was the expansion supported by sound implementation arrangements?
  • Has monitoring and evaluation of the expansion led to improvements?

For more on this audit read here

CHF Conclusion 

While health care services are designed to offer consistent access and delivery for everyone, the system’s design frequently fails to acknowledge the various socio-economic, regional, and cultural barriers that hinder equitable access to care. This inconsistency is illustrated by the significant disparities in health outcomes and overall health of across the population. 
The overriding impression is that telehealth was designed as a measure aimed at ensuring access to healthcare for all consumers. Recent changes, however, seem to treat Australians as a homogenous population - which it is not, particularly in terms of equity in access to healthcare.  The recent changes and elimination of a raft of telehealth MBS items appear to reflect an abandonment of the initial driving principle that represented a focus on, and concern for the health of all Australians. 

28 June 2022 Health Voices
Consumers Health Forum

Patient navigation – making the connections to better health

In this issue of Health Voices, researchers, consumers and advocacy groups discuss the role of the navigator – and other ways to support consumers and carers – to access different aspects of medical and social care and treatment is becoming essential in Australia’s complex and fragmented health care system.

Read the June 2022 edition of Health Voices

14 June 2022 Fact Sheets
Consumers Health Forum

CHF is more active than ever working on behalf of consumers for a better health system, and we have highlighted our significant achievements in the CHF Report Card for 2021-2022. As we move forward with a new federal government, there are many new opportunities for consumer-directed policies and programs, and for strengthening the consumer voice.

We continue to serve as a thought leader in health care and shine a light on where health care can be improved with our focus on equity and fairness of access.

During 2021-2022 we: 

  • led with pioneering work on consumer leadership with Collaborative Pairs Youth in partnership with Orygen and Centra North Coast PHN and developed a prospectus for an Australian Health Consumer Leadership  Academy  
  • partnered with research institutions for projects on consumer sentiment and digital health 
  • produced submissions on behalf of consumers on many issues in health care
  • produced a series of resources and videos to aid vaccine confidence in consumers for community-led conversations and health care professionals, with the Dept of Health
  • nominated and supported consumer advisors 
  • published a range of reports
  • launched Consumer Link, an informational and educative webinar series for consumer representatives.
  • hosted the Youth Health Forum Summit with 250+ participants
  • monitored and reported community responses through our Australia’s Health Panel surveys on issues of the moment including virtual health care, self-financed private treatment, Medicare and private health insurance in the past year.
  • kept in touch with diverse communities with CHF Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that are active on issues including Primary Health Care, Research & Data, Digital Health, Safety & Quality in Healthcare, Rural & Remote Health and our newest group for Mental Health. 

Find out more about membership

10 June 2022 Youth Health Update
Youth Health Forum
  • Election 2022 update and new Ministers announced 
  • Consumer advisory roles 
  • Health Consumers Queensland Webinar: Reimagining Healthcare For Young People

View the newsletter

6 June 2022 Consumers Shaping Health
Consumers Health Forum

In the perfect storm of crises, can the new government bring about the change we seek?

Now the Federal Election is over, we can see signs that the incoming Labor Government is wasting little time getting down to business on its election promises. In the June 2022 edition of Consumers Shaping Health, we ....

  • CHF will be joining the new Health Minister on the "Strengthening Medicare Taskforce"  - intended to prioritise the next steps to remedy issues for Medicare 
  • Give you an update on the Primary Health Care Leaders’ Summit with the PHN Co-operative (includes all 31 Primary Healthcare Networks) 
  • Explain digital health interoperability, push for an independent review of Private Health Insurance through the Productivity Commission, and publish the webinar replay on communication in health care. 

view the newsletter

19 May 2022 Fact Sheets
Consumers Health Forum

In December 2021 CHF provided a submission in response to a consultation by the Australian Digital Health Agency on the National Digital Healthcare Interoperability Plan.  It soon became clear that many were not sure what interoperability meant and why it was important in the context of the health system.

Interoperability has to do with the way computer software systems can connect and communicate with each other.  In healthcare, it is the ability of different information technology systems and software applications (programs) to communicate, exchange data and use the relevant health information provided. In basic terms, it means creating a connected health system

In all CHF’s research on consumer experiences with new digital health innovations, a constant theme is dissatisfaction with the lack of sharing of, or ability to access a patient’s relevant health information by providers as they move across the health system, often in different care settings.  For those people who have multiple healthcare providers, this causes real frustration, and indeed, concerns around quality and safety of care. Consumers consistently find it perplexing and frustrating that at each encounter with a provider they must repeat their health story repeatedly. 

Many of the health care events experienced by consumers occur in a range of different settings; general practice, hospitals, Emergency (EDs), and specialists for example. When we realise that each setting may use different computer software that doesn’t talk to other computer software, the value of ensuring they can talk to each other becomes clear.  The benefits of creating a truly connected health system where a patient’s providers have access to all relevant patient health information for decision making and can share information with other providers on relevant history, diagnosis, treatments, pathology and diagnostic imaging tests, are immense.

The key benefits include:

  • Improved and safer transitions of care, based on real continuity of care which leads to better health outcomes
  • Improved quality and safety in clinical decision making
  • Reduction in duplication of tests/diagnostics, which not only contributes to a reduction in unnecessary costs, but reduces the clinical risks to the patient, for example radiation load.
  • Reduces the reliance on the patient to retain, understand and share often extensive, complex, and clinically relevant medical information.
  • Provides consumers with increased confidence in their care, knowing that key medical information is shared between their providers. 
  • Delivers improved efficiency by reducing the time it takes to make clinical decisions and to have useful conversations between providers, and between providers and patients.

How do we achieve a connected health system?

A key issue in creating a connected health system relies on bringing software providers along to agree, in basic terms, to develop their systems based on specific national standards. While software companies are very active in ongoing consultations and implementation of current standards for use of their products by the health sector, moving the sector to an agreed set of standards is a challenge for both government and vendors.

Creating a connected health system, however, is not just about technology. Developing a way forward is a vast undertaking, particularly in the context of the Australian health funding model. States and Territories are responsible for funding some parts of the health system, such as hospitals, and the Federal Government is responsible for funding things like general practice, aged care, Medicare, and Pharmaceutical benefits. And each jurisdiction sets some of its own rules that can differ in relation to say, how hospitals manage the privacy, security, storage and sharing of health information for example.   

However, the success of a connected health system will be based on consumer trust and confidence. Consumers consistently call for and increasingly are demanding the many benefits that such connectivity or interoperability can deliver. Research, surveys, and consultations illustrate that consumers want their information shared between their health providers and that they clearly see benefits for their own healthcare. At the same time, however, consumers want to retain control of who has access to their health information and, along the path to a national connected health system, will need to be satisfied and feel confident that the privacy and security of their health information is maintained.

The following quotes from consumers from significant CHF consultations undertaken in 2021 reflect, not only a clear awareness of the value of a connected health system but also the frustration with what they often describe as a fragmented system

“We need a far more linked or integrated health system, especially between public and private health systems. The more information my clinicians have about me, the better my health outcomes will be. It also helps me personally, as I can potentially save my energy and effort, which brings its own health benefits.”

“There has been no conferring, and no cooperation of any kind. Now everything is on computer, and doctors have access to your medical records, across the board, you should be able to go to any medical practitioner who should be able to access your medical records. I actually need you guys to work together."

“Our experience is that when systems work well it is because they are well connected and talk to each other. It is when systems are not well connected, that in the end it is the patient that suffers and misses out on good treatment.”

If you would like to read more on the Draft National Health Interoperability Plan, use the following link to the Australian Digital Health Agency’s consultation paper and a briefer Plan on a Page

Draft National Healthcare Interoperability Plan

Plan on a page 

For CHF’s Submission in response to the Draft National Healthcare Interoperability Plan please go to the following link Draft National Interoperability Plan submission

For questions, email Julia Nesbitt, Digital Health Policy Officer - J.Nesbitt@chf.org.au

19 May 2022 Fact Sheets
Consumers Health Forum

In December 2021 CHF provided a submission in response to a consultation by the Australian Digital Health Agency on the National Digital Healthcare Interoperability Plan.  It soon became clear that many were not sure what interoperability meant and why it was important in the context of the health system.

Interoperability has to do with the way computer software systems can connect and communicate with each other.  In healthcare, it is the ability of different information technology systems and software applications (programs) to communicate, exchange data and use the relevant health information provided. In basic terms, it means creating a connected health system

In all CHF’s research on consumer experiences with new digital health innovations, a constant theme is dissatisfaction with the lack of sharing of, or ability to access a patient’s relevant health information by providers as they move across the health system, often in different care settings.  For those people who have multiple healthcare providers, this causes real frustration, and indeed, concerns around quality and safety of care. Consumers consistently find it perplexing and frustrating that at each encounter with a provider they must repeat their health story repeatedly. 

Many of the health care events experienced by consumers occur in a range of different settings; general practice, hospitals, Emergency (EDs), and specialists for example. When we realise that each setting may use different computer software that doesn’t talk to other computer software, the value of ensuring they can talk to each other becomes clear.  The benefits of creating a truly connected health system where a patient’s providers have access to all relevant patient health information for decision making and can share information with other providers on relevant history, diagnosis, treatments, pathology and diagnostic imaging tests, are immense.

The key benefits include:

  • Improved and safer transitions of care, based on real continuity of care which leads to better health outcomes
  • Improved quality and safety in clinical decision making
  • Reduction in duplication of tests/diagnostics, which not only contributes to a reduction in unnecessary costs, but reduces the clinical risks to the patient, for example radiation load.
  • Reduces the reliance on the patient to retain, understand and share often extensive, complex, and clinically relevant medical information.
  • Provides consumers with increased confidence in their care, knowing that key medical information is shared between their providers. 
  • Delivers improved efficiency by reducing the time it takes to make clinical decisions and to have useful conversations between providers, and between providers and patients.

How do we achieve a connected health system?

A key issue in creating a connected health system relies on bringing software providers along to agree, in basic terms, to develop their systems based on specific national standards. While software companies are very active in ongoing consultations and implementation of current standards for use of their products by the health sector, moving the sector to an agreed set of standards is a challenge for both government and vendors.

Creating a connected health system, however, is not just about technology. Developing a way forward is a vast undertaking, particularly in the context of the Australian health funding model. States and Territories are responsible for funding some parts of the health system, such as hospitals, and the Federal Government is responsible for funding things like general practice, aged care, Medicare, and Pharmaceutical benefits. And each jurisdiction sets some of its own rules that can differ in relation to say, how hospitals manage the privacy, security, storage and sharing of health information for example.   

However, the success of a connected health system will be based on consumer trust and confidence. Consumers consistently call for and increasingly are demanding the many benefits that such connectivity or interoperability can deliver. Research, surveys, and consultations illustrate that consumers want their information shared between their health providers and that they clearly see benefits for their own healthcare. At the same time, however, consumers want to retain control of who has access to their health information and, along the path to a national connected health system, will need to be satisfied and feel confident that the privacy and security of their health information is maintained.

The following quotes from consumers from significant CHF consultations undertaken in 2021 reflect, not only a clear awareness of the value of a connected health system but also the frustration with what they often describe as a fragmented system

“We need a far more linked or integrated health system, especially between public and private health systems. The more information my clinicians have about me, the better my health outcomes will be. It also helps me personally, as I can potentially save my energy and effort, which brings its own health benefits.”

“There has been no conferring, and no cooperation of any kind. Now everything is on computer, and doctors have access to your medical records, across the board, you should be able to go to any medical practitioner who should be able to access your medical records. I actually need you guys to work together."

“Our experience is that when systems work well it is because they are well connected and talk to each other. It is when systems are not well connected, that in the end it is the patient that suffers and misses out on good treatment.”

If you would like to read more on the Draft National Health Interoperability Plan, use the following link to the Australian Digital Health Agency’s consultation paper and a briefer Plan on a Page

Draft National Healthcare Interoperability Plan

Plan on a page 

For CHF’s Submission in response to the Draft National Healthcare Interoperability Plan please go to the following link Draft National Interoperability Plan submission

For questions, email Julia Nesbitt, Digital Health Policy Officer - J.Nesbitt@chf.org.au

16 May 2022 Position Statements
Consumers Health Forum

Election 2022 scorecard on health policy

Community health and wellness in the 21st Century

What the parties say

Consumers Health Forum commentary on the major parties' health policies as of 16 May 2022 - leading up to the Federal Election 21 May 2022

Response from the Australian Labor Party 
Response from the Liberal–National Coalition (the Coalition)

16 May 2022 Position Statements
Consumers Health Forum

Election 2022 scorecard on health policy

Community health and wellness in the 21st Century

What the parties say

Consumers Health Forum commentary on the major parties' health policies as of 16 May 2022 - leading up to the Federal Election 21 May 2022

Response from the Australian Labor Party 
Response from the Liberal–National Coalition (the Coalition)

16 May 2022 Position Statements
Consumers Health Forum

Election 2022 scorecard on health policy

Community health and wellness in the 21st Century

What the parties say

Consumers Health Forum commentary on the major parties' health policies as of 16 May 2022 - leading up to the Federal Election 21 May 2022

Response from the Australian Labor Party 
Response from the Liberal–National Coalition (the Coalition)

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