Healthcare remains a cornerstone of modern society, yet persistent challenges in access, affordability, and quality threaten its effectiveness on a global scale. Urgent action is needed to address these issues and forge a future where health is accessible to all, irrespective of geography or socioeconomic status. One of the most significant barriers to equitable healthcare is the escalating costs of medical services worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "More than 800 million people – almost 12 percent of the world's population – spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets to pay for health services for themselves, a sick child or other family member." The burden of healthcare costs falls disproportionately on …show more content…
As former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell once stated, "Healthcare costs are a major driver of our long-term fiscal challenges. Controlling these costs is essential for the health of our economy and the well-being of American families." In contrast, Australia has managed to maintain more affordable costs, with expenditures totaling $241.3 billion, or $9,640 per person. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, "Australia's healthcare expenditure grew by an average of 4.7% per year between 2009–10 and 2019–20, slightly lower than the 5.1% average growth over the preceding decade." This demonstrates a more sustainable approach to healthcare spending compared to the United States. Understanding the complex nature of healthcare is essential for developing effective solutions to its challenges. Beyond medical proficiency, factors such as social justice, power dynamics, and national policies profoundly influence the delivery and accessibility of healthcare services. However, healthcare often falls short of delivering justice, primarily focusing on resource allocation rather than equitable …show more content…
Leveraging the potential of foreign licensed doctors could alleviate this shortage through streamlined licensing processes and international cooperation. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, has emphasized, "We need to build a fairer, healthier world for everyone, everywhere." The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to invest in healthcare workers and ensure their equitable distribution worldwide." To achieve meaningful progress in healthcare, it is crucial to prioritize value-based care, where treatments are not only effective, but also efficient and equitable. Patient satisfaction hinges on the efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery, yet medical errors remain a significant challenge. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, "Medical errors are estimated to be the third leading cause of death in the United States, contributing to more than 250,000 deaths annually." This underscores the importance of addressing systemic issues within healthcare delivery systems. A concerted effort is needed to remove obstacles and foster equity in healthcare systems
3. How will Australia’s growing aging population impact on the health system? Australia’s aging population is mainly the result of a boom in fertility rates during the post WWII period, also with an increase in life expectancy rates present at birth. However, as our aged population grows so does the number of higher risks for certain illnesses and diseases. In Australia, there are an increased percentage of aged people who are living with chronic illnesses and disabilities, which raises the demands
Module# 3 Health Care Policy and Cost Justin Gort FHSU Module# 3 Health Care Policy and Cost Health care systems are defined as organizations or policies in place that are designed to plan and deliver health care for people. Elements of the health care system include people, institutions, and resources that deliver healthcare services to meet the health need of target population. Health care systems and the delivery of care vary among countries. I have chosen Australian healthcare system
for international trade (Wickramasekera, Cronk & Hill 2013). This theory is based on two major concepts that are economies of scale and first-mover advantage. To elaborate: “Economies of scale are unit cost reductions associated with a large scale of output” as it is able to spread over the fixed costs over a large volume of quantity (Wickramasekera, Cronk & Hill 2013 p90). “First-mover advantages are the economic and strategic advantages that accrue to early entrants into an industry and the ability
“Health is the state of complete physical, mental, social and intellectual well-beings not merely an absence of disease”(WHO,1998).Good health is essential in life as people’s career will be affected if they fall ill.. In the developed countries like Australia, People who are not involved in the healthy lifestyle are suffering from a range of health disorders like overweight, high blood pressure, obese, heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney problems, liver disorders and so many
With Australia’s population rapidly nearing 23.5 million people, the issue of sustainability and the number of people Australia can allow to live comfortably without significant damage to the surrounding environment is extremely important. The misconception that Australia is underpopulated with plenty of room to accommodate the worlds rising population is widespread. With the majority of Australian land being arid and inhospitable, finding available land and resources to accommodate a rising population
Welfare Systems and Services for the Elderly: A Critical Evaluation. Australia's population is ageing rapidly, with the number of people aged 65 and over projected to reach 8.8 million by 2057 [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 2017]. This demographic shift places a significant burden on welfare systems designed to support the elderly. This essay will identify the key welfare systems and services available to older Australians, analyse the resources and support offered, and critically
A health care system exists to address the health care issues of its community. To do so equitably it must recognise, plan for and implement necessary changes to cater for the diverse needs of the community. It is when the community engages in dialogue with the providers of health care that the specific needs are revealed and can then be planned for and implemented. However it is often those who have no voice in the community who have the greatest need of health care. Their lower socio economic status
especially in Australia, is baby booming. The phrase Baby boomers refers to people who born during the demographic post World War II between the years 1946 and 1964 and more than 4 million Australians were born during that 6 years. The percentage of Australia’s population aged over 65 years has increased 5 per cent from
in Australian population with 872 Blood Borne viruses reported 4th quarter 2013(Quarterly Surveillance Report Notifiable Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood-borne Viruses in Western Australia, Government of Western Australia, Department of health period ending Volume11(1) 31st of December 2013). Blood borne diseases being a major concern all around the globe and prisons being a hub for these diseases its best that NSPs are introduced in prisons. About Blood borne diseases Benefit to
Political Variables: Health is one the most essential and controversial issues in Australia politics and in this case it leads to the conflict between the Commonwealth and the State government. The Primary Health Care Reform in Australia, Report to Support Australia's First National Primary Health Care Strategy 2009 report says the Australian health care system is multi-tiered and is comprised of organizations that are funded and organized by a range of different methods including Government (publicly
population, an ageing population by its very nature dictates a bigger burden than there already is on the health care system. It also means more money will be spent on health care as the progression increases. The privatisation of Medibank will create more competition in the health insurance market; the health insurance business is valued at $4 billion dollars, which would in turn help Australia’s economic position. Privatisation would allow for create a free market and allow for regulation to focus
of the full-time minimum wage (SVdPS, 2012) and argues that it makes it harder for people to find employment as it locks recipients in to a more permanent form of poverty. The cost of living increases as public transport costs more, and is sparser and less frequent in areas that rent is lower, credit and loan repayments cost more, and recipients have to pay more for basic services (ACOSS, 2012). Moreover, SVdPS state that poverty lines set by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social
However it excludes a significant proportion of consumption in total. Australia’s GST rate is one of the lowest among developed countries and is roughly half of the average rate among OECD countries. The average tax rate among OECD countries is around 19 per cent (Chart 1). At its base, the GST applied to a broad range of goods and services excluding fresh food, health, education, childcare etc. Generally speaking Australia’s
burden on Australia’s health system and services, size of working age population, housing and demand for skilled labor. Like most developed countries, Australia’s population is ageing as a result of sustained low fertility and increasing life expectancy. As the health and wellbeing needs of a growing and ageing population, there will be an increasing demand for the services of health professionals. A growing and ageing population places an enormous burden on Australia’s frameworks of health system and
Globalization affects all facets of life, including health and well-being. Traditionally, the health sector has been closed and nationally focused, but that’s beginning to change. Healthcare has become a social policy and a worldwide concern that is subject to globalization. By 2009, there were fifty-eight countries with some form of Universal Healthcare. The question is: Can the U.S learn anything from the rest of the world about how to run a health care system? Universal Healthcare is implemented among