Monthly Archives: September 2009

Health reform: it only takes a napkin to make it simple

September 30, 2009 – 7:30 pm

Who says US health reform is too complicated to be explained on the back of the napkin? Check out this great example of clever communication. (thanks to Dr Trevor Kerr for sending in the link)

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in global health, health reform, Media-related issues | Comments (0)

Swine flu vaccination and one unimpressed media customer

September 30, 2009 – 7:22 pm

With today’s launch of what may prove to be the biggest vaccination program in Australia’s history, debate about the merits of swine flu vaccination continues. In Crikey today, a leading US consumer advocate as well as an international expert on influenza vaccines from the Cochrane Collaboration raise several questions for Australian health authorities, while former [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in conflicts of interest, infectious diseases, influenza | Comments (8)

Business is booming for the health industry

September 30, 2009 – 1:24 pm

How much do we spend on health? An ever-increasing fortune, according to this new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. You could spend hours wading through all the stats, but here are a few snippets: • In the financial year 2007–08, Australia‘s health expenditure totalled $103.6 billion, or 9.1% of gross domestic [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health financing and costs | Tagged , , | Comments (4)

Can health reform create fairer access to services?

September 30, 2009 – 12:04 pm

Health reform is generating much activity and interest right around the world. What can we learn from the experiences overseas? Dr Mary Haines, Editor of the Hospital Alliance for Research Collaboration (HARC) eBulletin, has been investigating the lessons from the UK. She has filed this report, based on the latest HARC eBulletin, released today: “For [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in global health, Health inequalities, health reform, Hospitals | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Is your health care safe and up to scratch? How would you know?

September 30, 2009 – 11:50 am

How do we know if our general practice/hospital/dentist/aged care service is providing safe and quality care?  At the moment, it’s almost impossible to answer this question in any objective manner. But at least we now have some idea of what sort of questions we should be asking, thanks to a report released this week by [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in adverse events, consumer health information, Hospitals, mental health, primary health care, quality and safety of health care, surgery | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Welcome to the cyber eye wars

September 30, 2009 – 9:28 am

As previously reported on Croakey, the Consumers Health Forum is not at all impressed by the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists campaign “to inform the public about the consequences of the Cataract Rebate cut planned for November 2009″. In my view the campaign was undermined, before I even got to reading the detail, by its title, [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, Media-related issues, surgery | Comments (1)

And yet more questions about Medicare Select

September 29, 2009 – 2:59 pm

Dr Michael Vagg, a physician in Victoria, has been reading up on Medicare Select. And he’s found more questions than answers. He writes: “Having made a brave effort to decode the relevant documents, I am completely unclear about the role of clinicians in the Medicare Select model. While the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform | Tagged , | Comments (1)

A query about the Medicare Select proposal

September 28, 2009 – 9:38 pm

Further to the previous Croakey post on the Medicare Select proposal, health policy Jennifer Doggett has some questions. She writes: “The Inside Story article is great – it really brings out some of the complexities of this issue and the unresolved issues in the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission recommendation. I hope it gets [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, Media-related issues, private health insurance | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

More on Pfizer’s consumer advertising campaign “that isn’t”

September 28, 2009 – 3:38 pm

The medical magazines, Australian Doctor and Medical Observer, have been carrying bright red, full-page advertisements from Pfizer, advising doctors that “patients will soon be asking about their suitability for combination heart medications”. The advertisement includes a sample from a consumer advertising campaign that advises readers to talk to their doctor about a combination heart pill [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in consumer health information, health & medical marketing, health regulation, Media-related issues, pharmaceutical industry | Comments (1)

What is Medicare Select anyway?

September 28, 2009 – 12:30 pm

When the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission’s final report was released, one recommendation was that the Federal Government explore the feasibility of transforming Medicare into a managed competition model of health insurance, called Medicare Select. Not long afterwards, I asked a contact, whose opinion I value, for his view of the proposal. He replied: [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)