Making the dollars count

There is much discussion at the moment about the best way to fund Australia’s health system into the future. Dr Brian Morton, Chair of the AMA Council of General Practice, examines this topic in this week’s issue of Australian Medicine. He points out the value of primary health care in keeping health system costs sustainable by preventing illness and avoidable hospital presentations and admissions, while only consuming a relatively small part of overall health expenditure.

Dr Morton highlights that general practice is part of the solution, not part of the problem and urges the Government to invest in general practice and provide greater support for chronic and complex disease management to help make the most of every health dollar and get the best outcomes for patients.