The Concept of Equity of Access in the Australian Healthcare System

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The Australian health care system is founded on the concept of equity of Access. Discuss this Statement with relation to the concepts of Effectiveness and efficiency and any interrelation that may exist. 1. Introduction: As Stated in the National Health Reform Agreement-Equity of Access is the fundamental base of the Australian Health Care System (DHA. 2013a). Effectiveness, which focuses on ratio of outputs to outcomes and efficiency, which defines as achieving maximum outputs with available inputs or resources, these are other elementary aspects of the Australian Health Care System. Equity, effectiveness and efficiency these represents ideal health system, which should be effective and efficient and able to achieve the specified outcomes (efficacy) in a way that maximize access (distribution); outputs (productivity) and outcomes within the resource available (NHHRC. 2009. P.4). Responsibilities like funding, delivery & regulation is shared by the national & state government of Australia makes the Australian Health Care system universally accessible within the people (AIHW, 2000). Public hospitals & community care funding is joined effort of common wealth (i.e. federal government), states & territories where common wealth use its taxation revenue to fund most of hospital medical service & health research (Common wealth Department of Health & age care, 2000). Since 1990’s National & State health Minister worked with many stakeholders to develop a certain National framework to assessing the Australian health system (NHPC, 2000). A new Australian health performance measurement framework adapted from Canadian Health information Roadmap Initiative Indicator framework was commenced by NHPC (NHPC, 2001). 2. Equity: Equity in health ... ... middle of paper ... .... The validity of Diagnosis Related Groups for use in Victorian public hospitals: report to the Department of Health, and of Management and the Budget. Victoria, Kensington, University of New South Wales. Palmer, G. R. (1991). The use of DRGs in the management and planning of hospital services. Australian Economic Review, 24(1), 62-70. Scotton, R. B., & Macdonald, C. R. (1993). The making of Medibank (No. 76). School of Health Services Management, University of New South Wales. Sen, A. (1992). Inequality reexamined. Oxford University Press. Wilson, R. M., Runciman, W. B., Gibberd, R. W., Harrison, B. T., Newby, L., & Hamilton, J. D. (1995). The quality in Australian health care study. Medical Journal of Australia, 163(9), 458-471. World Health Organization. (2000). The world health report 2000: health systems: improving performance. World Health Organization.

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