Australian health system as bad as US on some indicators: study

[Perthbum]

Australia's health system delivers high-quality care but is let down by accessibility factors including cost and lack of timely access, a new report has found.

An international comparison of 11 health systems shows a high proportion of Australians report problems paying their medical bills and experience delays accessing treatment.

The fifth edition of Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, a report by private health researcher The Commonwealth Fund, suggests Australia is plagued by similar problems as the US in terms of accessibility.

 

 

Where Australia ranks compared to 10 other nations on key indicators of the health system. Photo: The Commonwealth Fund

 

But the US, which ranked last overall, was marked down on equity and efficiency. It spends far more on health than any other OECD nation, but delivers medium-quality outcomes for the average user. The report notes that the impact of 'Obamacare', President Obama's reforms to expand health insurance coverage, has not yet been realised.

Out of 11 countries observed in the report, Australia spends the least on health as a percentage of gross domestic product. Data from 2010 shows we spent 8.9 per cent of GDP on health, slightly below the OECD average.

Taxpayers get a good return on that investment: Australia ranked 2/11 behind the UK on quality, assessed on whether the care is effective, safe, well co-ordinated and patient-centred.

 

 

Survey findings reflect previous research: Health consultant Jennifer Doggett. Photo: Supplied

 

But our health system was ranked 8/11 for accessibility, let down by poor performance on the key indicators of cost and timeliness. Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported:

 

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/australian-health-system-as-bad-as-us-on-some-indicators-study-20140618-zsawm.html#ixzz361Ei1EN0

[calNgary]

Must be horrible if your waiting forever, maybe my family have been lucky here but its not something we have experienced, infact i just recieved a referral for my daughter to see a specialist at the end of July, she was only referred by the GP at the start of June, so im quite impressed.

 

One thing i must comment on with the above article is the last comment

''But our health system was ranked 8/11 for accessibility, let down by poor performance on the key indicators of cost and timeliness. Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported''

 

I guess its a catch 22 as its reported the NHS is too accessible and so this does make you think if this is its problem, if the Aussie system was made as accessible it too may go down the pan as the NHS is seeming to do. If that is the case ,i hope they pretty much leave the Aussie system as it is and dont make the same mistakes the UK did as 8/ 11 really isnt too bad at all.

 

Cal x

[Perthbum]

Must be horrible if your waiting forever, maybe my family have been lucky here but its not something we have experienced, infact i just recieved a referral for my daughter to see a specialist at the end of July, she was only referred by the GP at the start of June, so im quite impressed.

 

One thing i must comment on with the above article is the last comment

''But our health system was ranked 8/11 for accessibility, let down by poor performance on the key indicators of cost and timeliness. Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported''

 

I guess its a catch 22 as its reported the NHS is too accessible and so this does make you think if this is its problem, if the Aussie system was made as accessible it too may go down the pan as the NHS is seeming to do. If that is the case ,i hope they pretty much leave the Aussie system as it is and dont make the same mistakes the UK did as 8/ 11 really isnt too bad at all.

 

Cal x

this is about the australian system cal, lets not make it a oz v uk

[Guest Andy]

Australia's health system delivers high-quality care but is let down by accessibility factors including cost and lack of timely access, a new report has found.

An international comparison of 11 health systems shows a high proportion of Australians report problems paying their medical bills and experience delays accessing treatment.

The fifth edition of Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, a report by private health researcher The Commonwealth Fund, suggests Australia is plagued by similar problems as the US in terms of accessibility.

 

 

 

Where Australia ranks compared to 10 other nations on key indicators of the health system. Photo: The Commonwealth Fund

 

But the US, which ranked last overall, was marked down on equity and efficiency. It spends far more on health than any other OECD nation, but delivers medium-quality outcomes for the average user. The report notes that the impact of 'Obamacare', President Obama's reforms to expand health insurance coverage, has not yet been realised.

Out of 11 countries observed in the report, Australia spends the least on health as a percentage of gross domestic product. Data from 2010 shows we spent 8.9 per cent of GDP on health, slightly below the OECD average.

Taxpayers get a good return on that investment: Australia ranked 2/11 behind the UK on quality, assessed on whether the care is effective, safe, well co-ordinated and patient-centred.

 

 

 

Survey findings reflect previous research: Health consultant Jennifer Doggett. Photo: Supplied

 

But our health system was ranked 8/11 for accessibility, let down by poor performance on the key indicators of cost and timeliness. Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported:

 

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/australian-health-system-as-bad-as-us-on-some-indicators-study-20140618-zsawm.html#ixzz361Ei1EN0

 

 

Have you actually had any experience yourself recently of either the NHS or the Australian version, or is it just a case of copying some link?

[ali]

I haven't had any problems with the health system here both public and private - as you said on another thread PB - bad practise etc., can happen in any country.

[AJ]

What is your problem PB? You left Australia a few years ago and you say you dont want to come back but yet you are obsessed with trawling the internet trying to dig up dirt on the place. Let it go- or have you nothing better to do or is it you secretly wish you had never left and trying to justify why you did?

[calNgary]

this is about the australian system cal, lets not make it a oz v uk

 

I was responding to your article that clearly compared Australia to UK, we are supposed to discuss the OP not try and take it off track , if i remember the rules correctly or have i forgotten something?

 

This was the comment i mean ,just incase you hadnt read it all - '' Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported:'' -

Cal x

[Perthbum]

I haven't had any problems with the health system here both public and private - as you said on another thread PB - bad practise etc., can happen in any country.

Agree Ali, but oz is seemigly like the USA system which means only the wealthy can afford it, what happens to people who really struggle to make insurance payments....are they really helped in oz?

[Perthbum]

I was responding to your article that clearly compared Australia to UK, we are supposed to discuss the OP not try and take it off track , if i remember the rules correctly or have i forgotten something?

 

This was the comment i mean ,just incase you hadnt read it all - '' Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported:'' -

Cal x

But we are just discussing oz in this thread, you can compare anything with anything but I would prefer we stick to the problems in oz.

 

you posted this to me not 10 mins ago..Just a quick reminder the thread topic is discussing the NHS, please start another thread if you want to discuss anything else.

[calNgary]

But we are just discussing oz in this thread, you can compare anything with anything but I would prefer we stick to the problems in oz.

 

you posted this to me not 10 mins ago..Just a quick reminder the thread topic is discussing the NHS, please start another thread if you want to discuss anything else.

 

Where does your post state to just post about the Aus side of things? i just went off the written words in the article that clearly compared.

 

Cal x

[ali]

Agree Ali, but oz is seemigly like the USA system which means only the wealthy can afford it, what happens to people who really struggle to make insurance payments....are they really helped in oz?

 

I work in the public health system PB and I disagree that only the wealthy can afford health care

[Que Sera Sera]

I've never paid a cent here for my operation and follow up diagnostic treatment nor for a ongoing checks. I received tip top quality treatment and was seen by a top consultant. This is my experience of Australian medical treatment and two close friends have come through Breast cancer here and have not paid a cent for all their treatment and aftercare iincluding reconstructive surgery.

[janine the party queen]

I really do think it dependent on where you live.

I waited 10 months for hand surgery,that was Private Health.I had to travel to Brisbane in the end as no one in Darwin could do it.

I have been waiting over a year for ankle reconstruction.I am on both the Public and Private systems.

[Que Sera Sera]

Agree Ali, but oz is seemigly like the USA system which means only the wealthy can afford it, what happens to people who really struggle to make insurance payments....are they really helped in oz?

 

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/low-income-health-care-card

[wakeboard1980]

The Aus system must be pretty good considering it spends the least as a % of GDP.

[NigelWaring]

I've been here since 74 and have not really had any serious problems with Australian Healthcare. Mosts of the doctors, specialists, nurses and other medical people have been great. There have been the odd difficult and inconsiderate specialists who think that they have the right to keep you waiting for more than an hour with out explanation but the majority are OK. Two of the specialists that I used have been struck off but that can happen anywhere.

[flag of convenience]

Swings and roundabouts. A friend has just recovered from breast cancer and spoke very highly of treatment received. On the other hand, I got to see a specialist in quick time, but have been waiting for two years for a nose operation.

Of course I have the capacity to go private but the problem does appear to have diminished somewhat from when presented. The long and the short being if I was still suffering the same discomfort I most certainly would have found it difficult if unable to go private.

Stands to reason the massive boom in population has got ahead of medical services and infrastructure. I would suggest this was unlikely to have been the outcome a decade ago.

[NigelWaring]

I have private cover and had a rhinoplasty a few years ago, I had to wait nearly two weeks to have it done.

[Chortlepuss]

When I was working in the NHS (IT), many of the bigwigs used to travel over to the US to checkout their IT systems. I never got it - Why would the UK try to model itself on US style system when US is one of the least cost efficient in the world? You can get quality healthcare in UK, Oz, USA - issue is just one of access. I have spent a relative fortune on health for my family since I came to Oz, but that is largely due to operations that were classed as non urgent,such as wisdom teeth extraction and (according to my GP here) would not be available any time soon on public system. I have found only one Dr willing to bulk bill me in 8 years of living in Brisbane. When I am out of work, I do restrict my visits to Dr's and rely on self diagnosis which isn't clever - but on the whole I find Aus system excellent as long as you have the $

[NigelWaring]

Sometimes I think that the US system is the most efficient in the world; that is at making a profit. Medically the Oz and US standards are about the same. The advantage for Australians is that there is some form of control on health insurance and the running of private hospitals, at the moment we seem to have it about as right as it can practically be but we need to be constantly vigilant to maintain what we have got. We certainly don't want our health systems to head down the same path as our aged care systems where huge profits are made by providers for very poor services.

[AJ]

When I was working in the NHS (IT), many of the bigwigs used to travel over to the US to checkout their IT systems. I never got it - Why would the UK try to model itself on US style system when US is one of the least cost efficient in the world

 

Thats easy, for a jolly on expenses of course! Maybe the systems were checked out but I bet none were ever implemented!

[Loopylu]

The public system in Qld is quite poor on waiting times. My MIL (Aussie) had to wait 5 years for a hip replacement and only got it after 5 years because she fell out of bed, fractured her hip and they had to deal with it. Who knows how long she would have waited? By the time she got the operation she was severely incapacitated and in constant pain... The delay has also caused back problems which will also require surgery (who knows when...) and she has ended up in a nursing home because the operation was too little too late.

 

On the ENT front, it took 6 months for my twin boys to get their grommets, adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy on the NHS. Here in Brisbane, it took 3.5 years for my daughter to even get to see a consultant and then the adenoidectomy was 6 months later (they forgot to put her on the list!) and then she had to have the tonsillectomy 6 months after that.

 

My son has had terrible problems with an ingrowing toenail. After having 7 minor operations at the GP which only temporarily relieved the problem we ended up having to go private (or wait 3 years) for surgery under general anaesthetic. The gap was $850!

 

NHS wins hands down....

 

 

Australia's health system delivers high-quality care but is let down by accessibility factors including cost and lack of timely access, a new report has found.

An international comparison of 11 health systems shows a high proportion of Australians report problems paying their medical bills and experience delays accessing treatment.

The fifth edition of Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, a report by private health researcher The Commonwealth Fund, suggests Australia is plagued by similar problems as the US in terms of accessibility.

 

 

 

Where Australia ranks compared to 10 other nations on key indicators of the health system. Photo: The Commonwealth Fund

 

But the US, which ranked last overall, was marked down on equity and efficiency. It spends far more on health than any other OECD nation, but delivers medium-quality outcomes for the average user. The report notes that the impact of 'Obamacare', President Obama's reforms to expand health insurance coverage, has not yet been realised.

Out of 11 countries observed in the report, Australia spends the least on health as a percentage of gross domestic product. Data from 2010 shows we spent 8.9 per cent of GDP on health, slightly below the OECD average.

Taxpayers get a good return on that investment: Australia ranked 2/11 behind the UK on quality, assessed on whether the care is effective, safe, well co-ordinated and patient-centred.

 

 

 

Survey findings reflect previous research: Health consultant Jennifer Doggett. Photo: Supplied

 

But our health system was ranked 8/11 for accessibility, let down by poor performance on the key indicators of cost and timeliness. Compared to the UK, a significantly higher percentage of Australians reported:

 

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/australian-health-system-as-bad-as-us-on-some-indicators-study-20140618-zsawm.html#ixzz361Ei1EN0

[Paul1Perth]

Agree Ali, but oz is seemigly like the USA system which means only the wealthy can afford it, what happens to people who really struggle to make insurance payments....are they really helped in oz?

 

Have you not heard of medicare PB? A lot of people don't even have private health insurance and they really aren't a lot less likely to get treatment for anything than people with it. If you're ill enough to have to attend a hospital, which as a family we've had on a few occasions, the care we've had can't be faulted. Every visit we've had to A&E has not coast our health care fund a penny, it's all been covered by medicare.

 

The hospital A&E system seems a lot more like the UK than America to me, but without massive queues and waits in A&E and more modern hospitals.

 

I guess if you want things like nose jobs, breast enhancement and I guess some important surgery that you have to get done you could be on a longish waiting list here. That's where the private health insurance could come in and save you a lengthy wait for medicare treatment.

 

My wife works in Oncology and I know when a lot of people have reached the end of their private health cover limit then medicare kicks in and pays for it. People don't stop getting treated.

[Paul1Perth]

The public system in Qld is quite poor on waiting times. My MIL (Aussie) had to wait 5 years for a hip replacement and only got it after 5 years because she fell out of bed, fractured her hip and they had to deal with it. Who knows how long she would have waited? By the time she got the operation she was severely incapacitated and in constant pain... The delay has also caused back problems which will also require surgery (who knows when...) and she has ended up in a nursing home because the operation was too little too late.

 

On the ENT front, it took 6 months for my twin boys to get their grommets, adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy on the NHS. Here in Brisbane, it took 3.5 years for my daughter to even get to see a consultant and then the adenoidectomy was 6 months later (they forgot to put her on the list!) and then she had to have the tonsillectomy 6 months after that.

 

My son has had terrible problems with an ingrowing toenail. After having 7 minor operations at the GP which only temporarily relieved the problem we ended up having to go private (or wait 3 years) for surgery under general anaesthetic. The gap was $850!

 

NHS wins hands down....

 

Could be a case of where you live in either country I expect. My dad injured a knee at work in his 40's. He had to get taken to the hospital and had a few weeks off on workers comp. His knee was never really the same after that, always gave him pain but the doctors always said it would get better, basically their advice was really he would have to put up with it.

 

When he had retired and in his late 60's he had a fall and damaged his knee to the extent that they had to operate. When he woke up they asked him if he had injured his knee previously as they had found bits of bone (which they had kindly put in a glass jar at the side of his bed) that had been worn smooth over the years, floating around his knee joint. That in turn had worn away at his joint, caused hip and back problems and made one leg a couple of inches shorter than the other.

 

To be fair he ended up having a knee replacement, can't remember whether he had to go privately or got it on NHS, but if the NHS had been a bit better when he first had the accident they could have saved themselves a lot of money and my Dad a lot of pain over the years.