Monthly Archives: March 2010

Primary health care expert backs the diabetes reforms

March 31, 2010 – 9:30 pm

Further to the previous post on today’s announcement of reforms to diabetes care, Professor Mark Harris, Executive Director of the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity at the University of NSW, writes: “Both the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission and the Primary Health Care Strategy recommended introduction of some form of voluntary enrolment [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in chronic diseases, health reform, primary health care | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

A bit of praise when it’s due for the diabetes announcement…but also some questions

March 31, 2010 – 8:24 pm

Today’s joint announcement by Health Ministers Rudd and Roxon, aiming to improve the care of diabetes patients, has drawn a mixed reaction from the usual suspects. The AMA and the rural doctors have come out swinging, while the Australian General Practice Network and the Consumers’ Health Forum are much more supportive. It will be interesting [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in chronic diseases, health reform | Tagged , | Comments (4)

Yet another reason to be sceptical of research findings…

March 31, 2010 – 8:09 pm

There are so many reasons why we can get a misleading, and often overly positive, view of the impact of treatments. One reason is publication bias, which refers to the fact that studies reporting “positive” findings, ie not null effect, (explained in more detail here by the Cochrane Collaboration) are more likely to be published [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health and medical research, health ethics, Journal articles | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

Some things you mightn’t have heard about the US health reforms

March 31, 2010 – 5:20 pm

Trying to make sense of the plans for US health care reform is a bit like, as one observer told Croakey, “snorkelling through mud”. Below are some links to articles that fill in some of the details, as well as a report from Croakey correspondent Jon Wardle, who says the reform package contains far-reaching proposals [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in global health, health & medical marketing, health reform, Journal articles | Comments (0)

Open letter to the PM, re health reform (part 1)

March 31, 2010 – 3:38 pm

Governments that want to improve health should focus their efforts on community-based care rather than just on hospitals. That is the crux of new article, titled “The future of community-centred health services in Australia: lessons from the mental health sector”, in the journal, Australian Health Review. One of the article’s authors, Professor Alan Rosen, a [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, mental health | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Unhealthy addictions get in the way of health reform

March 31, 2010 – 12:07 pm

One of the troubles with the health debate is that so much of it is driven by narrow sectoral, institutional or professional interests.  The National Rural Health Alliance is one of the few organisations that takes a holistic view of the community’s health. The editorial from the Alliance’s latest Partyline publication raises many issues that [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, Hospitals, rural and remote health | Tagged , | Comments (2)

Dick Smith, Pat McGorry and GetUp join forces on mental health campaign

March 29, 2010 – 8:18 pm

Australians are coughing up to support efforts to push mental health reform higher up the political agenda. You can find out here how much money has been donated to a GetUp Campaign featuring the Australian of the Year, the psychiatrist, Professor Pat McGorry. When I last checked (just after 8pm, Monday 29th), $50,770 had been [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, mental health | Comments (4)

Rural health needs more than doctor-based health reform

March 29, 2010 – 7:07 am

Why is there so much focus on encouraging more doctors to work in the bush rather than a holistic approach that recognises the need for other health professionals as well? That’s a question that’s been bothering Shannon Nott, a medical student who is Co-Chair of the National Rural Health Students’ Network, in the wake of [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Health inequalities, health workforce, rural and remote health | Tagged , , | Comments (6)

A wrap of the latest food/health news from around the world

March 26, 2010 – 5:14 pm

Herewith a wrap of recent food policy and research news… Calorie counting fast food menus coming soon in the US From next year, anyone walking into a McDonald’s, Starbucks or other big restaurant chain in the US will know how many calories they’re ordering, according to this New York Times report. It says the requirement [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in conflicts of interest, Food, health and medical research, Journal articles, Media-related issues, public health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

Some hard truths about cocaine: Alex Wodak

March 25, 2010 – 3:03 pm

The recent cocaine-related conviction of the well-connected Sydneysider Richard Buttrose has helped to perpetuate stereotypes about cocaine being the party drug of the rich. Nothing could be further from the truth, says Dr Alex Wodak, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. He writes: “The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee recently released a [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in illicit drugs | Tagged , , | Comments (1)