The future of health in Australia

Focus area 3: Right care, place and time

Action 5: Connect remote communities to health services through virtual care

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) analysis11 of ABS 2016 data showed that, on average, people in rural and remote communities were more likely not to see a GP due to physical access. Technology can address barriers often faced by rural and remote communities, such as infrastructure, distance and cost. Provision of consultations, referrals, scripts and test results by email, phone, FaceTime or Skype, as well as the enhanced use of the MyHealthRecord will connect rural, regions and remote areas to GP services. This approach will especially benefit Indigenous communities which are often hardest hit by lack of access to health services.

Action 6: Define standards to enable a connected health ecosystem

To better connect the health ecosystem and to deliver more personalised prevention and quality care, we need to improve digital exchange across electronic health records and health information technologies. Governments should collaborate with the health and health software industries to define standards for information exchange and system interoperability. By leveraging robust and interoperable data sets Government and health service providers can make informed decisions which better support a patient’s journey, enabling better patient and clinician experience, while also strategically planning for the health needs of the future.

Action 7: Improve accessibility and affordability of services closer to home

A report from the Australian Productivity Commission showed there were 3 million avoidable hospital presentations in the last financial year, where patients failed to see a local GP due to poor access.12 Research conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found more than a million Australians put off seeing a doctor due to out-of-pocket expenses.13 Delays in GP visits increase the chance of more serious complications requiring costly hospital treatment. Improving the accessibility and affordability of services closer to home will be important in increasing the takeup of community health services and reducing the burden on public hospitals. 

Action 8: Conduct a campaign to encourage care closer to home

Encouraging people to seek care closer to home by a team of allied health professionals ensures individuals are better supported for long-term health needs, such as mental health, rehab, aged care and special needs – increasing the individual’s quality of life as well as reducing the overall cost of care. An example is aged care where there is a clear ‘win-win’ to shift care out of the hospital. This could be supported by funding an Innovation Accelerator for pilot programs for seniors’ care at a local level. The aim would be to help keep people in their preferred environment for longer, with a smooth transition through home, residential living, aged care, hospitals and palliative care, supported by integrating funding to make this seamless for the individual and commercially sustainable for providers.