Stephen Duckett writes in The Conversation (15.3.16) about entrenched problems in Australia’s hospital system, and offers suggestions for how these might be overcome. This forms part of a series of articles appearing on The Conversation website dealing with issues in the nation’s hospitals and health system.
‘Australia’s public hospitals – and those responsible for funding them – face a number of pressing challenges. In a time of growing populations, they must guarantee access, ensure quality, minimise the chances of anything going wrong, and do it all within the available budget.
‘Costs are going up, as is demand, putting pressure on Commonwealth and state budgets.
‘But the solution is not necessarily more of the same, or more funding. Public hospitals are already changing the way they do things, but they need to change more.’
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