Health Care in Australia - Essay Example

Health care in Australia Student’s Name Institution Date Introduction There is a similar distinction between equality and equity especially when it comes to health care. For example, in Australia; the current public funded health care system is established on the primary concept of equality. This system is designed to ensure that all people have similar access to healthcare providers and also services regardless of their capacity of paying for healthcare. This approach seems highly fair. However, this system goes so far especially in the enhancement of justice because it does not carefully observe other elements such as place of residence, the gender, sexual orientation and also the nationality of the individual that can also become hindrances to effective care. Health is an important issue to every Australian citizen. While the current health system has provided numerous benefits to the society, the overall framework of healthcare is highly complex, and the existing wealth of information required has shifted the equilibrium between the producers and the users. Diseases can occur randomly and several times, may entail a considerable detrimental expense. This occurrence also causes a reality check to the affected person that might feel vulnerable (Lewis, Sheringham, Bernal, & Crayford, 2014) Throughout the entire history of modern medicine, the social determinants of health have not been adequately analyzed to the extent of the relevant perspectives that drive the concepts of health and provision of quality healthcare. This paper will clearly show the social determinants of health, the complex structure of the Australian healthcare system and also the important strategies that can be applied in increasing the efficiency of healthcare. In this paper, I will also discuss the difference between equity and healthcare by the health system in Australia and also show the importance of both of this element to the entire nation. Also, I will recommend some strategies that all relevant stakeholders can use especially while considering my future profession that will be involved in the healthcare sector Equity and equality Ensuring uniformity especially in access to care for everyone leads to the assumption that all people have a similar health status and also similar healthcare needs. This, however, is not the case. Some people may live with various economic, political and social disadvantages that significantly contribute to poor health. For instance, men, women and also boys and girls that live in poverty, are highly likely to be less healthy compares to those that have access to resources. The outcome of such a situation leads to a huge need developing in regards to programs and services compared to the standard requirements (Blank, & Wendt, 2016).This instance has also led to the offset of the influence of substandard housing limited access to nutritious foods, and also an increased exposure to unsafe environment conditions. All these components collectively make up the main issue of equity which ensures that every person has what they need to maintain and achieve wellbeing and quality health. In Australia, health equity is significantly different from health equality which refers to the absence of disparities in remediable and also controllable aspects of health. It becomes a challenge in working towards a complete objective that would enhance equality in health as there are various factors of health that cannot be influenced by humans. Inequity will, therefore, imply some element of social injustice. These inequities in Australia have included the differences in health outcomes and also prescience of disease between populations with a different ethnicity, race or socioeconomic status (Nixon, 2013). Health equity currently falls into relevant tow categories in the Australian healthcare system. Horizontal equity refers to the equal treatment of people or numerous groups in similar circumstances while vertical equity relates to the fundamental principle that people that are not equal must be treated differently in accordance to their particular level of need. Numerous disparities in the quality of health across populations have been documented comprehensively in the Australian healthcare sector. Social determinants of health The social determinants of health play an important part in the field of health and assist health professionals and also the prestigious institutions that formulate public policy in Australia, to comprehend the association between the various determinants, the negative and positive impacts that these elements will have on the individual’s health from a long-term perspective. The social determinants of health have influenced treatment and also the prevention of terminal non-communicable illnesses and also the increase of knowledge in enhancing public health education. In this approach, creation of a strong community action in most areas of Australia will strengthen the ability of the current health systems to achieve public health and also a successful health promotion which is important in assessing these determinants of health in the entire community (Kronenfeld, 2013) Talbot, & Verrinder, (2010) stated that having access to healthcare is a fundamental human right as mentioned earlier. However, there have emerged an estimated gap if ten to fifteen years in both the life expectancy and health in particular between the Aboriginal community and the entire Australian population due to the various conditions that they have to encounter on a daily basis.The social determinants of health are clearly associated with health outcomes and are tightly linked to public policies are clearly recognized by the public. They typically cluster together such as the individuals that live in poverty also experience several other negative social determinants. The equitable and quality distribution of these social determinants In Australia is clearly below the standards viewed in numerous developed nations. In Australia, there are several economic inequalities in health between the poor and the rich. Globalization ahs played an important role in placing the context for the study of the social determinants of health. Therefore, there is the lack of equilibrium in the distribution of wealth, and this influences most parts of the country. Also, this aspect has led to several adverse implications on the entire spectrum of the social determinants of health (Walshe & Smith, 2011). Overview of the Australian healthcare system The health care system in Australia is highly complex as it involves several healthcare providers and funders. Accountability is usually divided into various levels of government and also between the non-government and government sectors. In a general construct, the Australian Government is solely responsible for funding healthcare. Through the various healthcare insurance structures and also direct payments to territories and other states, these states are also responsible for the direct provision of quality service in the country. Also, the effect of technological development, especially in my profession, is one of the most significant issues that has faced health policy developers in the country (Duckett, & Willcox, 2015).This has been emphasized that various genetic technologies may eventually affect all sectors involved in the provision of healthcare. Therefore, health expenditure that is connected to genetic technology might increase. Also, the extent of any increase in expenses in the paramedic sector has made the future highly uncertain. Against such a framework, the government has a major role in the health system structure. The association of income development, demographic trends and also new technologies has led to the increase in demand of quality of health care in Australia. The approach of the Australian nation to the delivery of health services has become underpinned by a universal healthcare system that has included accessibility. This is from the Medicare Benefits Schedule to free medical services, benefits for the private provided medical services, free public hospital treatment as a public patient and also access to cheap quality medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The current health system being used was designed a generation ago, and it no longer serves the every need of the community. Several Australians have lacked the proper quality care they require for their conditions. Also, there has emerged a vast gap between the health of individuals that have access to healthcare while those that cannot gain access have remained desolate and therefore, the current system undermines the concept of equality in the society. All relevant stakeholders must, therefore, make necessary changes in the health systems to increase accessibility and equality for every person. The government must also ensure that the health system effectively reflects the values of the entire community (Guzys, & Petrie, 2013). Conclusions and recommendation As a medical practitioner, equity would be an important component in evaluating and making important resource allocation decisions in the aspect of health care that is required. All relevant stakeholders in the health sector must acknowledge that equality of access does not have to be entirely equitable. However, they must develop policies that aim towards ensuring that access is cheap in lowering these limitations to access whether they be ethnic, financial, geographical or cultural. Lowering these barriers will enhance the process of diagnosis of the patients as it is an important procedure in assessing whether healthcare is necessary for the person. Guendalina, (2016), stated that when the barriers in the reception of care are large, the likelihood that genuine health care needs will not be treated and detected becomes significant. This aspect also becomes a detriment in equity and efficiency. Without a proper access structure, the community’s need for quality healthcare will go unevaluated. Strategies for reducing the health gap in a generation would require that the Australian government develop efficient systems that would allow a healthy living standard where no individual should fall below due to the situations beyond their control. Social safeguarding schemes can be highly critical in acknowledgment of developmental objectives rather being heavily reliant on the achievement of those goals. These elements can be highly prosperous ways for reducing poverty, and also the local economies and other market systems can significantly benefit. The government and also relevant stakeholders must also create policies that reduce child poverty. This is because elevated stress hormone sin children might interfere with their overall development of their cognitive and also social progression that might cause long-term adverse effects (Bradley, & Burls, 2012). In my profession, actively contributing in working towards sustainable, incremental change can assist all local individuals to learn the necessary skills in participating and aiming for the necessary efforts required to develop a healthy community successfully. Developing measures that would reduce health inequities is critical since health is a fundamental human right and the growing acknowledgment of this component will discard inequalities that emerge from differences in the health status such as disability or diseases in the chance f completely enjoying life and also in the pursuit of a person’s life aspirations. References Blank, E. K. R. & Wendt, L. B. C. (2016). The Palgrave International Handbook of the Healthcare Policy and Governance. Springer Bradley, P. & Burls, A. (2012). Ethics in Public and Community Health. Professional Ethics. Routledge Duckett, S. & Willcox, S. (2015). The Australian Health Care System. Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand Guendalina, G. (2016). Promoting Patient Engagement and also Participation for Effective Healthcare Reform Advances in Medical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care. IGI Global Guzys, D. & Petrie, E. (2013). An Introduction to Community and also Primary Health Care in Australia. Cambridge University Press Kronenfeld, J. J. (2013). Social Determinants, The Health Disparities and Linkages to Health and Health Care. Volume 31 of Research in the Sociology of Health Care. Emerald Group Publishing Lewis, G. Sheringham, J. Bernal, J. & Crayford, T. (2014). Mastering Public Health: A Postgraduate Guide to Examinations and Revalidation, Second Edition. CRC Press Nixon, V. (2013). Professional Practice in Paramedic, Emergency and also Urgent Care. John Wiley & Sons Talbot, L. & Verrinder, G. (2010). Promoting Health: The Primary Health Care Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences Walshe, K. & Smith, J. (2011). Healthcare Management. Open University Press. McGraw-Hill Education (UK) Read More