In today’s talking points, Australia is to increase spending on healthcare and surgeons in Australia support sanctions against exorbitant fees for medical services. The first norovirus vaccine is to enter the clinical trial phase in China, and Chinese cities are encouraged to simplify the process of setting up a clinic.
Surgeon college in Australia support sanctions against exorbitant fees for medical services
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) has voiced concerns over expensive medical bills that impact their financial services, and are behind sanctions for surgeons that charge these unethical prices. This came after public concerns of people having to resort to crowdfunding, re-mortgaging and draining superannuation to afford bills from private hospitals.
Specialists in Australia are currently allowed to set their own prices for their surgeries and medical services.
Dr. Brandon Murphy, the chief medical officer of Australia, reassures that the public hospital in Australia already provides state-of-the-art care, and higher prices do not indicate better quality.
Dr. John Quinn, the spokesperson for RACS, has also stated: “It’s a very difficult issue because the college does not and cannot set a scale of fees, and therefore it is difficult to say what an excessive fee is and what sanctions can be applied.” He emphasized that the vast majority of surgeons in Australia are charging appropriately.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Australia to increase spending on healthcare
Australia is to increase spending on healthcare in the coming years, from AUD81.8 billion ($58.2 billion) in the 2019/20 fiscal year, to AUD 89.5 billion ($63.7 billion) in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
According to an analysis by Fitch Solutions, this increase in funding will help Australia’s healthcare market to develop.
The spending is to improve Australia’s universal healthcare system, Medicare, as well as benefit the Pharmaceuticals Benefit Scheme (PBS, which is formed to improve accessibility to medicine, provides funding for medical research, and people with mental illness.
Funds are also being invested to decrease the cost of medical care whilst increasing the quality of care, as well as to provide well-rounded elderly care.
Source: Healthcare IT
First norovirus vaccine to enter clinical trial phase in China
China has approved a clinical trial for the norovirus, receiving permission from the National Medical Products Administration, announced the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai (IPS), developer of the vaccine, on May 30. China will be the first in the world to develop a vaccine to this virus.
Norovirus infection is the main cause of acute viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as the “stomach flu” and infects approximately 685 million people globally per year. It is very contagious and occasionally fatal.
The vaccine is said to prevent 80 to 90 percent of norovirus infections.
The clinical trial is to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and will take place over a period of 5 years.
Source: China Daily
Chinese cities encouraged by the government to simplify the process of setting up a clinic
Chinese cities are being encouraged by the central government to make the process of setting up a clinic easier. According to the National Health Commission, local regions should also encourage the development of these clinics, and ensure supervision for safety and quality of healthcare.
Applicants in the cities will no longer need to be approved by health officials, instead of qualified applicants, which are applicants with 5 years of medical work experience and have an intermediate level job title, are just required to obtain a license and register with local authorities.
This simplifying of the process will encourage clinics of greater quality to be set up, with skillful and experienced doctors. Better quality clinics will benefit rural regions, where the primary source of healthcare is through clinics. According to the National Health Commission, each of these clinics has an average of 2.6 doctors and nurses.
Founder of a Shanghai-based medical group, Zhang Qiang, states that these new efforts will encourage talent flow and more equal distribution of healthcare and resources to the entire population.
Source: China Daily