A shake-up of the delivery of out-of-hospital care by utilising more of the private health system could result in better health outcomes for patients, doctors say.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) believes it will also save millions of dollars and free up tens of thousands of hospital beds, releasing a report on out-of-hospital care models in the private system.
It found Australia’s private health system is lagging behind its public counterpart and private systems in other countries in delivering out-of-hospital care.
AMA president Steve Robson wants a private health system authority established to design models of out-of-hospital care which are patient-centred and clinician-led.
“At the moment, many out-of-hospital care models in the private system are insurer-led and delivered,” Professor Robson said on Oct. 6.
“It is really a dog’s breakfast ... with two patients having the same operation, the same surgeon, in the same hospital, (and) depending on their private health insurer, one being able to have safe out-of-hospital care, and the other not having access to this.”
Optimising out-of-hospital care in the private sector would create a positive reinforcing cycle that would generate better value for the government and the taxpayer, and ultimately relieve pressure on public hospitals, the report said.
There has been a 174 percent increase in knee and hip procedures in the private system since 2003, with the cost difference between rehabilitation at home and hospital about $6200 (US$4000) per patient, Prof. Robson said.
“Expanding access to out-of-hospital rehabilitation ... could save up to $62.7 million (US$40 million) and free up to 94,000 beds per annum,” Prof. Robson said.
Eligible patients may also experience equivalent or better health outcomes, reduced risk of infection, home comforts, reduced travel, enablement of work from home, and improved ability to manage caring responsibilities, the report said.
The health body will convene a meeting with health industry stakeholders after handing the report to the federal government to consider.
