Apha Congress Examines The Challenges Facing Private Health Care Providers

****Under Embargo until 1.00am, 12 October 2009*****


APHA National Congress Examines the Challenges
Facing Private Health Care Providers

Providing private health care across Australia in challenging times will be examined in detail at this year's Annual Congress of the Australian Private Hospitals Association. Over 300 delegates, sponsors, exhibitors and speakers will convene today in Melbourne for two days of workshops, keynote addresses and concurrent sessions.

Jane Halton, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing, will open the Congress with a keynote address entitled 'Observations on Health Reform Key Messages on the Reports on Health Reform and What This Means for the Services in the Future'. Ms Halton will speak at 9.00am today.

Ms Halton will be followed by Bernard Salt, Partner at KPMG who will provide an entertaining and informative address on the impact of population trends on healthcare demand as he looks at 'Healthcare in Decade Beyond the GFC'. Mr Salt will present at 10.45am today.

In the early afternoon, the focus will be on customer service in a unique panel discussion 'Are You Being Served?'. The panel will bring together viewpoints from patients, insurers, doctors, healthcare customer research and a customer service specialist to discuss how to improve patient satisfaction with private hospitals.

In the last session of the day, delegates will turn their attention to e-health and have a choice of three concurrent sessions on e-health and infrastructure. One session will look at Information Technology and Patient Records. The second session will focus on the challenges faced when building a new private hospital or remodelling an old facility. The third session will look at e-health and technology for medical and clinical applications.

The evening will wrap up with the presentation of the APHA/Baxter Awards for Quality and Excellence at the Congress Gala Dinner. Hospitals from around Australia have been shortlisted for these awards which seek to promote outstanding facilities and their continuing endeavours towards improving quality outcomes for patients.


What: APHA 29th Annual National Congress
Date: Monday 12 Tuesday 13 October 2009
Time: from 7.30am each day
Venue: Savoy Ballroom, Grand Hyatt, 123 Collins Street, Melbourne

For a full program of the Congress see: www.apha.org.au

Journalists who require a media pass to attend the conference should contact:
Lisa Ramshaw,
APHA Public Affairs Manager,
0413 971 999 or
[email protected]

SOURCE: Australian Private Hospitals Association