Australasian health week in review: May 23
Pulse+IT's weekly round-up of Australian and New Zealand health and eHealth articles from third-party sources:
Southern Cross Cable cuts a 'timely reminder': Tuanz
stuff.co.nz ~ Tom Pullar-Strecker ~ 22/05/2015
Two cable breaks on the Southern Cross Cable network are a reminder that New Zealand risks loses connectivity to the outside world, the Telecommunications Users Association says.
Budget ignores Treasury warning that $320 million not enough for DHBs
NZ Doctor ~ Liane Topham-Kindley ~ 22/05/2015
Treasury warned months ago that proposed funding of $320 million extra for DHBs this year was not going to be enough and they would need to make savings of $121 million to maintain current services, says Labour health spokesperson Annette King.
Medibank GP Access program axed
Medical Observer ~ Flynn Murphy ~ 22/05/2015
Medibank has scrapped a controversial program that gave its members priority access to GPs.
Govt admits defeat on another co-payment
Australian Doctor ~ AAP ~ 22/05/2015
Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley has conceded the government won't get a $1 billion budget saving on subsidised medicines through parliament.
Budget’s focus on social determinants in health ‘positive’
NZ Doctor ~ Liane Topham-Kindley ~ 21/05/2015
A focus in this year’s Budget on some of the broader social determinants of health should have a flow-on effect in improving people’s health, General Practice NZ chair Shelley Frost says.
Slim pickings for health, but same for everyone – Baddock
NZ Doctor ~ Cliff Taylor ~ 21/05/2015
“It’s stingy, but it’s stingy for everyone.”
‘I am disappointed’ – Tim Malloy
NZ Doctor ~ Cliff Taylor ~ 21/05/2015
RNZCGP president Tim Malloy has criticised the Budget for its lack of investment in primary care.
Budget difficulties put Royal Perth Hospital redevelopment on hold
ABC News ~ Jacob Kagi ~ 20/05/2015
The promised redevelopment of the ageing Royal Perth Hospital has been put on hold thanks to budget difficulties, the West Australian Government has confirmed.
Queensland govt bought wrong IBM product for Health IT: Bligh
ZDNet ~ Aimee Chanthadavong ~ 19/05/2015
No one ever got fired for buying IBM, the adage goes, but what if you purchase the wrong item from Big Blue?
Aussie medtech company raises $1.5 million
Sydney Morning Herald ~ Beverley Head ~ 19/05/2015
Crowdfunding platform OurCrowd has tipped $1.5 million into the coffers of a Melbourne-based health tech company with ambitions to be Australia's next ResMed or Cochlear.
Incentive schemes fail to woo GPs
Medical Observer ~ Julie Lambert ~ 19/05/2015
More GPs pulled out of financial incentive schemes than the number who joined in a recent four-year period, apparently reflecting slim rewards for the time involved.
Millions for meth ads, crumbs for users
Medical Observer ~ Kristen Ochs ~ 19/05/2015
A confronting $9 million TV ad campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, is more about politics than improving health, doctors say.
Posted in Australian eHealth