Should the healthcare compass in Australia point towards value-based primary healthcare?
Jodie Oliver-Baxter A D , Lynsey Brown A and Paresh Dawda B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Primary Health Care Research & Information Service, Discipline of General Practice, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Email: lynsey.brown@flinders.edu.au
B Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, School of Population Health, College of Medicine, Biology and the Environment, Building 63, Corner Mills and Egglestone Roads, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Email: Paresh.Dawda@anu.edu.au
C University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, University Drive, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: jodie.oliverbaxter@flinders.edu.au
Australian Health Review 41(1) 98-103 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH15104
Submitted: 9 June 2015 Accepted: 1 February 2016 Published: 23 May 2016
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of quality improvement in healthcare in an Australian context. Specifically, the paper considers issues around defining, quantifying, recording and incentivising quality improvement and accountability in primary healthcare. The role of newly emerging Primary Health Networks provides a context for the discussion. The paper draws on international learnings that provide a framework for examining the important elements of quality improvement among reforming primary healthcare organisations in order to support healthcare providers and offer an evidence base for policy makers and peak bodies moving forward.
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