NUR113, Semester 2: Structure of the Australian Healthcare System

This discussion board post provides an overview of the Australian healthcare system, highlighting its structure, funding mechanisms, and key providers. The post explains that the Australian healthcare system is considered one of the best globally, offering safe and affordable healthcare to all citizens. It details the roles of General Practitioners (GPs), medical specialists, allied health workers, and nurses in primary care. The post also discusses Medicare's role in providing free or low-cost access to health services, along with the funding arrangements involving all levels of government and non-governmental organizations. The post references the Australian Government's role in developing national health policy, administering Medicare, and regulating private health insurance. It also acknowledges the challenges faced by the system, such as demographic changes and chronic health conditions. The post concludes by mentioning the government's national approach to improve patient care and coordination.

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Title: Structure of Australian Healthcare System
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The healthcare system of Australia is considered as one of the best healthcare systems
in the world that provide safe as well as affordable healthcare for all the citizens of the
country. The healthcare providers of Australia include primary care services provided by the
General Practitioners (GP), medical specialists, allied health workers, and nurses (Australian
Government, 2019). Medicare along with the public hospital system of Australia provide free
or low-cost access to all its people and apart from the public hospital services, Medicare
covers cost of some other health services as well. Australian Government mainly leads the
development of National health policy, administer Medicare, provide fund to the public
hospital services of states and territories. Government also regulates private health insurance
and provide funding for the community-controlled primary healthcare to the Indigenous
people of Australia. The complex structure of the Australian healthcare services is clearly
reflected in its funding arrangements. All levels of government as well as the non-
governmental organizations are responsible for the funding arrangements. In the year 2015
and 2016, an estimated amount of $170 billion was spent on the healthcare system of
Australia (Australian Government, 2018). According to AIHW 2017, Australian Government
funded 41% of the total health expenditure (Australian Government, 2018). Various
regulatory agencies work to ensure the quality and standard of care. Health systems are not
static and Australian healthcare system also face different challenges regarding demographic
change, demand of services, advances in the technology, chronic health conditions, and many
others (Stark et al., 2019). However, in order to tackle the issues, Australian government is
taking national approach that aims to provide better coordination and care to the patients of
the country.

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References
Australian Government. (2018). How does Australia’s health system work? Retrieved from
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/63fe0895-b306-4375-95ff-162149ffc34b/aihw-
aus-221-chapter-2-1.pdf.aspx
Australian Government. (2019). The Australian’s health system. Retrieved from
https://www.health.gov.au/about-us/the-australian-health-system#
Stark, Z., Boughtwood, T., Phillips, P., Christodoulou, J., Hansen, D. P., Braithwaite, J., ... &
North, K. N. (2019). Australian Genomics: a federated model for integrating
genomics into healthcare. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 105(1), 7-14.
Retrieved from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929719302289