• Range and types of health facilities and services
• Responsibility for health facilities and services
• Equity of access to health facilities and services
• Health care expenditure versus expenditure on early intervention and prevention
• Impact of emerging new treatments and technologies on health care, eg cost and access, benefits of early detection
• Health insurance: Medicare and private

Range and Types of Health Facilities and Services

• Encompassess the facilities where an individual can seek medical care; Split into two major categories having multiple sub-categories:
• Institutional
  • Government owned, operated and financed Public Hospitals. Services are generally free.
  • Individually/communally owned and funded Private Hospitals. Services are not free and require a range of associated fees.
  • Psychiatric Hospitals which provide treatments and therapies mediated towards prevention and ailment of mental disorders.
  • Nursing Homes that specialize in providing long-term care for elderly individuals who require constant supervision.
• Non-institutional
  • Includes health services provided at a community level. For example, services provided by non-profit organizations like Australian Red Cross, Save the Children Australia, Oxfam Australia and many more.
  • Medical Services obtained from G.P.s and specialists (Cardiologists, Ophthalmologists, Orthopedists etc.).
  • Dental Clinics that provide healthcare specific to dental disorders.
  • Drugs and other medications as therapeutic supplements. Supplied through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, a program of the Australian Government that offers support to Australian citizens and permanent residents, as well as international visitors covered by a reciprocal health care agreement in terms of prescription medications.

Responsibility for Health Facilities and Services

• Commonwealth Government
  • Formulating health policies and legislation
  • Allocating adequate funding for health sectors
  • Providing health care through arranging community programs for aboriginal cohorts as well as war veterans.
• State Government
  • Execute health policies formulated by the Commonwealth government.
  • Provide care and treatment in hospitals and other health care facilities as directed by the commonwealth government.
  • Development and promotion of health campaigns and programs.
  • Making sure all facilities are up to date and efficient in providing service.
• Local Government
  • Development and promotion of health campaigns and programs at a local/community level.
  • Observation and regulation of health standards and services within communities.
  • Providing and supervising health services at a community level.
• Private Authorities
  • Funds health services like private medical centers, hospitals.
  • Health services provided by private medical practitioners.
  • Funding research projects that directly and indirectly relate to public health.
  • Often allocate infrastructural health promoting activities, for example, a workplace gym.

Equity of Access to Health Facilities and Services

• There are two dimensions of the aspect of healthcare equity:
  • Horizontal
    • The objective is to make sure every individual has equal access to health care services.
    • Example: Health services covered by Medicare.
  • Vertical
    • The objective is to provide health care to priority groups first.
    • Targets cohorts that fall in the risk group and do not have adequate access to healthcare.
  • Service providers find working towards health care from a horizontal aspect more feasible because it doesn’t involve complexities that could rise from prioritising specific populations or cohorts.
  • Owing to certain geographical, social & cultural constraints, many individuals and communities do not have access to basic healthcare services always.
  • The Governments identify these cohorts and by applying the principles of healthcare equity, make sure they get access to healthcare services based on their needs.
  • The indigenous communities are designated to have access to community healthcare programs and services.
  • Some of the services include:
    • Providing treatment for acute and chronic medical conditions
    • Conducting sessions on disease prevention
    • Facilitating communication and transport services and providing assistance in getting access to other healthcare services in range.

Health Care Expenditure Versus Expenditure on Early Intervention and Prevention

• Recurrent costs in health care:
  • Hospital infrastructure.
  • Wages for nurses, doctors and other employees.
  • Medical equipment (life support, ventilation machines, chemicals for biochemical diagnosis).
  • Funds for research projects.
  • Transports and other utilities (ambulance, elevator, ramps).
  • Specialized treatment for certain diseases (e.g. chemotherapy).
• Expenditure for early intervention or prevention:
  • Focused on awareness campaigns and overall disease prevention rather than treatment.
  • Based on the factors and bad practices that cause diseases or is likely to lead to a certain disorder.
  • A population based approach.
  • Methods include: health education and awareness, lifestyle counselling, discouraging unhealthy behaviours, education about hygiene etc.

Impact of Emerging New Treatments and Technologies on Health Care, e.g. Cost and Access, Benefits of Early Detection

• The rise of expenditure in health care is proportional to the advancement of treatment methods and technology.
• Radiological scanners, biological therapeutics, surgical procedures and prostheses as medical diagnosis and treatment tools aren’t always within arms reach because of the cost.
• Early detection and treatment methods are still emerging. However, among the current approaches that exist, cancer screening and childhood vaccinations have shown the most success in this regard.

Health Insurance: Medicare and Private

• Medicare:
  • Allows Australian citizens to access government health services and high standard health care free of cost.
  • Also includes counselling sessions with GPs for free or subsidised expenses.
  • Access to therapeutics through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
• Private:
  • Health services that are not covered by Medicare.
  • Access to a wider range of hospitals, other health services and specialists.
  • Payment schemes are usually paid annually or monthly.