8.15 Registration and welcoming coffee

9.00 Opening remarks from the Chair
Anne Trimmer, CEO, Medical Technology Association of Australia

FEDERAL & STATE POLICY UPDATE

9.10 [Keynote Address] New Directions for Australian health under the new Federal Government
Hon Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Health and Ageing

9.50 [Keynote Address] State Opposition’s review of healthcare in NSW
Hon Jillian Skinner MP, NSW Shadow Minister for Health and Member for North Shore

10.30 Morning tea

HEALTH REFORM

11.00 [Keynote Address] National health and Hospitals Reform Commission progress review
Christine Bennett, Chief Medical Officer, MBF and Chairman, National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission

11.30 Delivering a health service using “one size fits all” is this working with consumers?
• Health consumers are moving from “dependent” to “selective” use of health services – what does this mean for health planners
• How do health consumers look, sound, think, feel and react, as they interact with our health system – or not...?
Mike Brooke, Director, UltraFeedback

12.00 [Keynote address] Wellness and New Agenda for Health
Hon Joe Hockey MP, Federal Shadow Minister for Health & Ageing and Member for North Sydney

12.30 Will the new Federal Government’s demands to have public hospitals report their performance improve patient quality and waiting lists?
Dr Tony Joseph, Head of Trauma (Emergency), Royal North Shore Hospital

1.00 Lunch

E-HEALTH AND HEALTH INFORMATICS

2.00 Queensland health’s e-health plan
• Is smartcard technology the answer for 21st Century healthcare?
• Implementing a comprehensive statewide e-health strategy
• How will this improve information storage and dissemination of patient information?
• Improving internal delivery of technology service – has it improved performance?
Dr Richard Ashby, Acting CIO, Department of Health QLD

2.30 e-Health: shaping the future of healthcare
• e-Health is a global revolution
• The benefits of e-health
• Australia’s national approach to e-health
Andrew Howard, Acting CEO, National e-Health Transition Authority

OUR AGEING POPULATION

3.00 [Keynote Address] How the health revolution will impact on the growing ageing population
Hon Justine Elliot MP, Minister for Ageing and Federal MP for Richmond

3.30 Afternoon tea

3.50 Health technology assessment: A new paradigm for Australia
Anne Trimmer, CEO, Medical Technology Association of Australia

FURTHER HEALTH REFORM

4.20 Avoiding the landmines: principles for the reform of Medicare
• Issues: Large and Small
• Ageing Technology/Affordability/PHI/Fairness/Queues
• Principles and Conflicts
• Fairness vs Choice/Political Responsibility vs Interference (the case of the Mersey Hospital)/Incentives and EBB/Experimentation and Flexibility/Separation of Delivery/Financing and Evaluation/HSR
• Policies
• Delivery: Upgrade to 21st Century safety/Structure: federal/state/local/Monitoring and error learning
Professor Jeff Richardson, Founding Director, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University

4.50 Closing remarks from the Chair

5.00 Evening Drinks/Networking Reception

8.30 Welcome coffee

9.00 Opening remarks for the chair
Professor Jeff Richardson, Founding Director, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University

9.10 Disabilities and mental health in an ageing workforce
Dr Rod Pearce, Chair, AMA Council of General Practice

INDIGENOUS HEALTH

9.50 [Discussion] Indigenous health in 21st Century
Dr Cindy Shannon, Director, New Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Queensland
Dr Mark Wenitong, Past President, Australian Indigenous Doctor’s Association
Dr Lisa Jackson-Pulver, Associate Professor, Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit, University of NSW

10.30 Morning tea

MEDICARE UPDATE

11.00 Medicare Australia - e-Business, current position and future outcomes
• Medclaims closure
• Electronic claiming update
• ECLIPSE challenges for the year ahead
• Online Services/Health Professional Portal
• Unique Health Identifier (UHI)
Mark Jackson, e-Business & Development Manager, Medicare Australia

NURSING SHORTAGE & HOSPITAL CRISIS

11.30 [Case Study] NSW nursing in need of a health check
Brett Holmes, General Secretary, NSW Nursing Association of Australia

12.00 Bringing down the waiting lists
• The role of the private sector to alleviating waiting lists through government contracted work
• Why private hospitals are perceived as being more expensive
• Can increasing operating theatre times assist?
• Increased Federal funding – where does this play a part in cutting elective surgery time?
Patrick Grier, Chairman, Australian Private Hospitals Association

12.30 Factors in health premium increases
• Introduction of more expensive medical technology
• Ageing population
• Continued shortages in healthcare workers
• Healthcare inflation influenced by increased nursing costs
Mark Fitzgibbon, CEO, NIB Health Funds Limited

1.00 An alternative approach to the Australian hospital sector
• The role of ‘public’ and ‘private’ hospitals
• The roles of States and Federal Government in the sector
• A look at a potential ‘Hospital Benefits Schedule’
Lynne Pezullo, Health Economics, Access Economics

1.30 Lunch

MENTAL HEALTH

2.15 “Lets Get to Work” report by Mental Health Council of Australia
Lets Get to Work is an employment strategy and, a way forward to addressing one of the most important productivity and health issues in Australia. In this presentation the Hon Rob Knowles will outline the goals of this report and findings.
Hon Rob Knowles AO, Chair of the Mental Health Council of Australia

2.45 [Case Study] Black Dog Institute
A specialist state-wide service Clinic (in NSW) providing a consultancy service to health professionals (e.g. psychiatrists, general practitioners, psychologists) who are managing a patient with a mood disorder which may be persistent, only partially responsive to treatment or treatment resistant, or which would benefit from sub-typing.
Professor Gordon Parker, Executive Director, Black Dog Institute

3.15 Closing remarks by Chair

3.20 Congress ends

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