355 - Medicare for the 21st Century. Dr Talat Uppal & Dr Steve Hambleton, Autumn Summit 2023

This episode was recorded at the Talking HealthTech Autumn Summit 2023, where Dr Talat Uppal and Dr Steve Hambleton AM speak with Peter Birch about the critical role of digital technology, standards, and multidisciplinary teams in healthcare from the perspective of the taskforce and clinicians.?

Dr Talat Uppal is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, highlights the value of effective digital technology in healthcare, drawing on her experience in both the commercial and governmental sectors. She emphasises the importance of addressing healthcare fragmentation and streamlining patient care.?

Dr Steve Hambleton AM , a?general practitioner?in Brisbane and a former Queensland State President and Federal President of the Australian Medical Association . He’s passionately involved in health reform programs particularly for GPs in Australia.?

Embracing Collaboration for Holistic Healthcare

Dr Uppal stresses the importance of community care and the participation of general practitioner specialists in multidisciplinary care models to provide complete and whole care.?Nurses,?allied health workers, and pharmacists are essential, and the need to move away from working alone and toward working with others. The future of health care lies in the work of many experts working together to give patients complete and holistic care.

An EMR Puzzle in Multidisciplinary Care

Electronic medical records (EMR)?are a significant problem when setting up?multidisciplinary care?models. Dr. Talat compares this problem to trying to solve a Rubik's cube, where missing pieces make it hard to fit everything together smoothly. Existing electronic medical records (EMRs) and practice tools are suitable for general practitioners, but they only sometimes meet the complex needs of multidisciplinary teams.

With multidisciplinary care methods, doctors and nurses from different fields work together to give patients the best care possible. These models acknowledge that each expert has unique skills and points of view that, when put together, can make a big difference in how well a patient does.?

A Patient-Centred Approach

Dr Uppal appreciates that software companies are trying to understand clinicians' unique problems when providing multidisciplinary care. Implementing?interoperability?standards and adding tools like patient portals and engagement tools are necessary to provide care that is both thorough and focused on the patient.

Legislating Enhanced Technology for Healthcare

Adopting digital technologies increases the clinician's ability to provide the highest quality of care, elevates the patient's experience, and stimulates their interest in their health. Investing in high-end equipment and technology that is compatible with the progression of the patient's condition is vital. For example, a direct image transfer to patient data should be made part of the law and easier to use.?

Patient Centred with Sustainable Funding

In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, striking a balance between patient-centred care and the financial viability of healthcare businesses remains a significant challenge. The need to focus on what's best for the patient, rather than solely on financial considerations, is an important principle that resonates with many. However, complexity arises when clinicians and businesses must navigate the intricacies of running a healthcare practice while delivering exceptional care. After all, in healthcare, programs often go unfinished unless there is proper?funding.

Complimentary Funding System

Dr. Hambleton proposes a unified health system integrating primary and?acute care?to improve patient care. Triple bulk billing incentives and voluntary patient registration with?chronic illness?management payments are steps toward a new funding model that supports the intended treatment paradigm. Testing and gradual integration help healthcare businesses to survive. Healthcare practitioners may communicate automatically by exchanging information and adopting interoperability, minimising redundancy and waste to provide optimal treatment.

Interoperability and Shared Vision

Dr Hambleton stresses the importance of universal individual health identifiers, standard classification systems, and a shared language in healthcare. State premiers recognize the need for interoperability and a unified approach to healthcare, and the government's role in fostering collaboration is crucial. In addition, procurement processes should prioritise interoperability to assure compatibility with existing systems. The healthcare industry requires a team-based approach and funding models that encourage collaboration. By embracing a shared vision and leveraging technology and data, the healthcare community can naturally unite, ultimately providing patients with a unified and comprehensive healthcare experience.

Balancing Innovation and Practicality

Implementing?multidisciplinary teams?necessitates collaboration between vendors and clinicians, emphasising?co-design?and individualised solutions. It should extend beyond conventional healthcare settings, breaking geographical barriers and fostering healthcare professional partnerships. While the software is essential, focusing on practical applications that align with interoperability objectives is also important. Healthcare personnel require clear guidelines on cost considerations, employment status, and financial and digital literacy support.?

Recognising GP Morale

In the pursuit of equitable healthcare practices, it is essential to recognise and resolve the morale of general practitioners (GPs). Acknowledging the unique challenges GPs encounter and providing morale-boosting support systems contribute to their well-being and job satisfaction. The provision of high-quality patient care requires a content and motivated GP workforce. Therefore, efforts should be made to balance the playing field and establish initiatives that foster general practitioners' professional development and satisfaction.

Collaborative Effort

The state-federal healthcare decision-making gap emphasises the necessity for cross-disciplinary collaboration, particularly between GPs and hospitals. The recent Australian budget announced initiatives to close this gap. The budget boosted bulk billing incentives, benefiting 12 million people. Voluntary registration also improves the relationship between chronically ill patients and their GPs. Changes have many benefits. First, clinics can prolong virtual consultations for complete patient care.?Video?and phone consultations can also improve healthcare.

A Connected Health System

Connecting primary care with acute care through systems like Lumos in New South Wales has shown that comprehensive primary care reduces?emergency department?visits, while timely visits to GPs after hospital discharge lower readmission rates. Integrating community care, aged care, specialist care, acute care, and primary care is crucial, and?digital support?is essential for a seamless healthcare experience.

Redesigning the?My Health?Record?and improving the accompanying app, in collaboration with the?Connected Care?Council and IT experts, will shape the future of healthcare information sharing. The app has the potential to revolutionise communication between patients, hospitals, and GP practices, streamlining the healthcare journey and empowering patients with accessible information.