Theories and Concepts in Australia's Health Care System: Strategies for Improvement and Sociological Implications

Explore Australia's health care system, its current situation, strategies for improvement, and sociological implications. Learn about functionalist and conflict theories in health care delivery.

1
Running head: THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
Theories and Concepts in Health Care System in Australia
Student’s Name
Institution Afflation

2
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
Introduction
Health care system should be the center of focus for the Australian government
because health care is an essential need to the citizens of Australia. Health is a multidimensional
notion as it is a person’s social, physical and mental well-being. However, the three magnitudes
of health often affect each other (Stoddart, & Evans, 2017). For example, an individual can be
well in mental health but poor in physical health. Health care system denotes the delivery of
medical services to treat health problems, prevent and diagnose (Mirowsky, 2017). The paper
seeks to explore and critically discuss the current situation and the history of Australia health
care system. Also, it will outline the strategies set by the government to improve the health care
delivery services. Moreover, the study will explore sociological theories as there are various sub-
theories like conflict, symbolic interaction and functionalism theory that gives a clear
understanding of society’s structure and culture. Sociological theories are essential as they
provide in-depth knowledge of behavior, and social interaction of individuals in a particular
setting (Manners, 2017).
Furthermore, the paper will explore the implications of the sociological theories of the
health care system. It is must be noted that sociological theories are critical in health care system
them as it gives a clear understanding of human nature. Moreover, referring to sociological
theories, the paper will, outline how physicians ought to apply the concept of the arguments into
the health care system of Australia. It is unfortunate that the health care system is not equal to all
citizens of Australia. For example, due to the high cost of health services, it makes it difficult for
the poor to access health care services. Also, power and hierarchies will determine the kind of
health service you will get in Australia.
Structure of Health Care System in Australia

3
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
According to Weiss, & Lonnquist, (2017) health care system is aimed at maintaining,
providing and restoring all the three dimensions of health to an individual. World health
organization states that the health care system should be fair and accessible to all individuals
when they are in need. However, planning of health care services vary from country to county,
but the common element includes a qualified workforce, a well-maintained facility, funding
mechanism and quality services (Maslach, 2017). There are two healthcare sectors in Australia,
public and private. The government funds the public sector while the private sectors are self-
sponsored. Both sectors are purposed to provide quality health care to all Australians.
Moreover, Australian health care provides palliative and rehabilitation care to its
citizens. Despite, the effort of the government to fight inequality in healthcare provision, the
cultural barrier is still a significant problem among the indigenous Australians. Healthcare
providers are supposed to be included in the discussion to eliminate racial inequality in health
care. According to Goffman, (2017) health equity infers to fairness in providing health care
services, irrespective of a person’s geographical, demographic, economic or social position.
Typically, language is the primary aspect of culture. Therefore, ineffective communication will
lead to poor healthcare outcome. Recent studies have shown that Australia has developed the
most advanced healthcare system in the world (Brownson, (2017).
Furthermore, Australia government encourage high-income earners to take private
insurance cover. The move by the government is critical as it will reduce congestion in public
hospitals. Australian citizens who are from rural areas don’t enjoy quality health care when they
are compared to people from the urban centers.
Strategies Set by Australian Government to Improve the Health Care Delivery
Services

4
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
Australian healthcare system has performed enormously to the international standard.
However, some systems are not performing as expected. For example, inefficiency is manifested
through substandard quality and wasteful spending. Typically, investing in efficiency is the
crucial move for better healthcare outcome and quality health care services (Runciman, Merry, &
Walton, 2017). Past studies have shown that the health care system in Australia is wasting their
funds. To reduce wasteful spending the ministry of health came up with the initiative to review
health care services and subsidized medicines. Also, the government is involving the clinicians
to formulate useful guidelines that will improve the quality delivery of health services.
Moreover, health care professionals lack strong financial incentives. Thus, they will get
discouraged. Also, the payment method used to pay physicians will encourage over-servicing
and reducing safety and quality. Therefore, it will lead to cost shifting and fragmented care.
There is a need for the government to considered a payment model that promote quality health
services. Furthermore, the Australian government is planning on increasing healthcare providers
so that it can improve the delivery of services (Blank, Burau, & Kuhlmann, 2017).
Sociological Theories
Sociological theories are essential as they give an in-depth understanding of behavior,
and social interaction of individuals in a particular setting. It must be noted that society’s
structure and culture affect health care system and health of the community members (Schoen et
al., 2017). There are various sub-theories like conflict, symbolic interaction and functionalism
theory that give a clear understanding of society’s culture and structure. For example, the
functionalist point of view states that excellent health and viable medical care are essential to the
society's capacity to function.

5
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
On the other hand, the conflict approach focuses on the inequality in the health care
system. Despite, the effort of the world health organization to eradicate health disparities in our
health system there is still a problem in our contemporary society (Scott, Mannion, Davies, &
Marshall, 2018). The interactionist theory argues that illness and health are social constructions.
For instance, the physical or mental condition is considered ill or health conditions only if the
society and its members define it as such.
The Functionalist Approach
The functionalist approach argues that quality healthcare is significant for the smooth
functioning of the community. The theory states that for one to be exempted from his or her daily
work, he or she must play the sick role. Typically, the clinician and the patient relationship are
hierarchical because the clinician provides instructions and the patient need to follow them to the
latter (Collyer, 2017). Also, the theory states that ill health will prejudice a person’s ability to
performs his or her role in the society and when there are too many unhealthy individuals the
society’s stability and functioning is at stake. The primary goal of functionalist approach is the
application of a nurse knowledge to solve a problem in nursing practice. Also, the perspective
acknowledges the significant role health care providers have in our contemporary society.
Additionally, the theory is essential because it is concerned with the functionality of health and
healthcare in a society (Clifford, McCalman, Bainbridge, & Tsey, 2015). Typically, the approach
argues that for a society to run smoothly, there must be an effective healthcare system, thus, it is
necessary to have functional medical care.
The functionalist point of view states that significant health and viable medical care are
essential to the better society's capacity to function. For example, the Australian healthcare must
be adequately equipped with medical facilities for the general population to participate in their

6
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
daily activities which will contribute to the development of the nation (Shearer et al., 2015).
Also, for health care providers their working condition should be improved, and better facilities
be provided so that they can deliver quality work and also for their well-being.
Moreover, the theory argues that when there are inadequate health facilities, it will hinder
the performance of clinicians in infirmaries. Therefore, the society steadiness and functionality
will grieve. Typically, the approach underlines the cause of early death as the fault of health care
providers failing to contribute to the social function. Also, the theory states that poor medication
makes the society to be dysfunctional because it will affect the well-being of the community. The
theory emphasizes that people should not be alleged of causing their health problems (Wakerman
et al., 2017). If people don’t watch their health and they become overweight and have a heart
attack, it will conjure less sympathy when compared to people who were living a healthy
lifestyle, and they get the same condition. Also, the approach states that ill people have that
desire of getting well and if they don’t they are faking their sickness (Lee et al., 2015).
Nevertheless, sick people are expected to have their health problem confirmed by clinicians, and
they are required to follow the physician’s instructions for them to be well.
Likewise, health care providers have a role to play. For instance, they have to diagnose an
individual’s sickness, decide on how to handle the condition, and to help the individual to
become healthy (Runciman, Merry, & Walton, 2017). However, for the physician to provide
quality health there must be cooperation from the patient, he or she is supposed to give accurate
information and to follow the physician’s instructions and advice (Brazier, Ratcliffe, Saloman, &
Tsuchiya, 2017). The theory is essential as it emphasizes on the importance of the individuals’
good health in the society. However, the critique argues that the concept of sick role only applies
to short-term illness and not the long-term ailment. Also, they say that individuals need to take

7
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
an active part in sustaining their health and not just depending on health care providers (Dekker,
(2017). Furthermore, the functionalist approach failed to acknowledge the fact that our social
background will affect the quality of health care we receive. The method will impact me
positively as I have understood the importance of promoting quality health care to the society as
it will ensure a stable society.
The Conflict Approach
The conflict approach focuses on the inequality of healthcare delivery and the quality
of health. It is clear that the quality of healthcare delivery and health varies across the globe and
within Australia (Sallis, Owen, & Fisher, 2015). Typically, society’s inequality along ethnicity
and race, gender and social class are manifested in our health care and health. According to
Heinrich-Morrison et al., (2015) people from the disadvantaged background are more likely to
become sick. Therefore, because of their social class, it makes it difficult for them to access
quality health care services. Also, the conflict viewpoint is concerned with the widening health
disparity especially among the minority groups in the society. The evidence of health disparity is
vast in our contemporary society. Nevertheless, the approach is concerned with private
infirmaries because they deliberate themselves as profitable enterprise hence, it denies members
of the community to receive quality health care services (Moore et al., 2015).
The conflict theory critiques the effort by the clinicians to define social problems as
health issues. The approach argues that when social problems are medicalized their social causes
and solutions will be neglected. Nevertheless, the effort of the physicians must be acknowledged
as they are qualified to diagnose and to treat health problems (Wakerman et al., 2017). Recent
studies have shown that alternative medicine is becoming popular in our current society.
However, health care providers feel that medical alternative are dangerous, ineffective and even

8
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
inadequate (Miller, Lee, Obersky, & Edwards, 2015). In our history midwives helped pregnant
women to give birth. Health care providers argued that midwives were inadequately trained. The
theory has been criticized a lot because of its harshness on the physicians yet scientific medicine
has drastically improved people’s health across the globe (Torre et al., 2015). Referring, to the
conflict approach the Australian government should focus on creating awareness against health
disparities. Also, nurses are required to give quality and equal services to all, regardless of an
individual social class, gender or race.
Conclusion
Health care system denotes the delivery of medical services to treat health problems,
prevent and diagnose. Health care system should be the center of focus for the Australian
government because health care is an essential need to the citizens of Australia. Health is a
multidimensional notion as it is a person’s social, physical and mental well-being. However, the
three magnitudes of health often affect each other. Australian healthcare system has performed
enormously to the international standard. However, some systems are not performing as
expected. For example, inefficiency is manifested through substandard quality and wasteful
spending. Typically, investing in efficiency is the critical move for better healthcare outcome and
quality health care services. Sociological theories are essential as they give an in-depth
understanding of behavior, relationship and social interaction of individuals in a particular
setting. It is unfortunate that the health care system is not equal to all citizens of Australia. For
example, due to a high cost of health services, it makes it difficult for the poor to access health
care services.
Also, power and hierarchies will determine the kind of health service you will get in
Australia. Sociological theories are critical in the health care system as it gives a clear

9
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
understanding of human nature. For example, the functionalist point of view states that
significant health and viable medical care are essential for a society's capacity to function. On the
other hand, the conflict approach focuses on the inequality in the health care system. The
interactionist theory argues that illness and health are social constructions. For instance, the
physical or mental condition is considered ill conditions only if the society and its members
define it as such.

10
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
References
Ballantine, J. H., Hammack, F. M., & Stuber, J. (2017). The sociology of education: A systematic
analysis. Routledge.
Blank, R., Burau, V., & Kuhlmann, E. (2017). Comparative health policy. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Brazier, J., Ratcliffe, J., Saloman, J., & Tsuchiya, A. (2017). Measuring and valuing health
benefits for economic evaluation. OXFORD university press.
Brownson, R. C. (2017). Dissemination and implementation research in health: translating
science to practice. Oxford University Press.
Clifford, A., McCalman, J., Bainbridge, R., & Tsey, K. (2015). Interventions to improve cultural
competency in health care for Indigenous peoples of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and
the USA: a systematic review. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 27(2),
89-98.
Collyer, F. (2017). The corporatisation and commercialisation of CAM. In Mainstreaming
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (pp. 81-100). Routledge.
Dekker, S. (2017). The field guide to understanding'human error'. CRC Press.
Goffman, E. (2017). Asylums: Essays on the social situation of mental patients and other
inmates. Routledge.
Heinrich-Morrison, K., McLellan, S., McGinnes, U., Carroll, B., Watson, K., Bass, P., ... &
Cheng, A. C. (2015). An effective strategy for influenza vaccination of healthcare

11
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
workers in Australia: experience at a large health service without a mandatory
policy. BMC infectious diseases, 15(1), 42.
Lee, J. G., Henriksen, L., Rose, S. W., Moreland-Russell, S., & Ribisl, K. M. (2015). A
systematic review of neighborhood disparities in point-of-sale tobacco
marketing. American journal of public health, 105(9), e8-e18.
Manners, R. A. (2017). Professional dominance: The social structure of medical care.
Routledge.
Maslach, C. (2017). Burnout: A multidimensional perspective. In Professional burnout (pp. 19-
32). Routledge.
Miller, J., Lee, A., Obersky, N., & Edwards, R. (2015). Implementation of A Better Choice
Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for staff and visitors in government-owned
health facilities in Queensland, Australia. Public health nutrition, 18(9), 1602-1609.
Mirowsky, J. (2017). Education, social status, and health. Routledge.
Moore, S. P., Antoni, S., Colquhoun, A., Healy, B., Ellison-Loschmann, L., Potter, J. D., ... &
Bray, F. (2015). Cancer incidence in indigenous people in Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, and the USA: a comparative population-based study. The Lancet
Oncology, 16(15), 1483-1492.
Runciman, B., Merry, A., & Walton, M. (2017). Safety and ethics in healthcare: a guide to
getting it right. CRC Press.
Sallis, J. F., Owen, N., & Fisher, E. (2015). Ecological models of health behavior. Health
behavior: Theory, research, and practice, 5, 43-64.

12
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
Schoen, C., Osborn, R., Doty, M. M., Bishop, M., Peugh, J., & Murukutla, N. (2017). Toward
higher-performance health systems: adults’ health care experiences in seven countries,
2017. Health Affairs, 26(6), w717-w734.
Scott, T., Mannion, R., Davies, H., & Marshall, M. (2018). Healthcare performance and
organisational culture. CRC Press.
Shearer, B., Marshall, S., Buist, M. D., Finnigan, M., Kitto, S., Hore, T., ... & Ramsay, W.
(2015). What stops hospital clinical staff from following protocols? An analysis of the
incidence and factors behind the failure of bedside clinical staff to activate the rapid
response system in a multi-campus Australian metropolitan healthcare service. BMJ Qual
Saf, bmjqs-2011.
Stoddart, G. L., & Evans, R. G. (2017). Producing health, consuming health care. In Why are
some people healthy and others not? (pp. 27-64). Routledge.
Torre, L. A., Bray, F., Siegel, R. L., Ferlay, J., Lortet‐Tieulent, J., & Jemal, A. (2015). Global
cancer statistics, 2012. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 65(2), 87-108.
Wakerman, J., Humphreys, J., Wells, R., Kuipers, P., Entwistle, P., & Jones, J. (2017). A
systematic review of primary health care delivery models in rural and remote Australia
1993-2006.
Weiss, G. L., & Lonnquist, L. E. (2017). The sociology of health, healing, and illness.
Routledge.
Zwar, N., Harris, M., Griffiths, R., Roland, M., Dennis, S., Powell Davies, G., & Hasan, I.
(2017). A systematic review of chronic disease management.

13
THEORIES AND CONCEPTS IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA