Providing Private Health Care In Challenging Times: Media Alert

Maximising the Opportunities for Private Hospitals

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 on Monday in Melbourne for two days of workshops, keynote addresses and concurrent sessions.

Private Hospitals: Maximising the Opportunities

Date: Monday 12 . Tuesday 13 October 2009
Time: from 7.30am each day
Venue: Savoy Ballroom, Grand Hyatt, Melbourne

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing, Jane Halton 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 on Monday 12 October.

She 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 on Monday.

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.

After tea, delegates will turn their attention to e-health and have a choice of three concurrent sessions on e-health and infrastructure. And then the APHA/Baxter Awards for Quality and Excellence will be presented on Monday evening at the Congress Gala Dinner.

The second day of the Congress will begin with Sir Neil McKay, Chief Executive, East of England Strategic Health Authority and will be followed by a panel discussion on Measuring and Managing Risk with Emeritus Professor Michael Ward from HQCC, William Beerworth from ACSQHC and Dr Karen Luxford of NBOCC.

The Congress will end with a real highlight. In our own version of eQ&Af, the panellists will discuss the theme of gPolitics, Policy and Health Reform.h This not to be missed session will provide distinctive insights into the health reform process, how policy travels through the corridors of power (and who helps or hinders it along the way), the gpoliticsh of health and how this plays out in the media and in public debate.

The panel will provide assessments of the Governmentfs performance to date on health care issues and the discussion will be opened up to questions and comment from delegates. The panel, which begins at 2.25pm and will be moderated by Glenn Milne, Political Columnist, includes:
The Commissioner: Hon. Rob Knowles, NHHRC Commissioner;
The Unionist: Ged Kearney, ANF;
The Journalist: Karen Middleton, SBS Television; and
The Lobbyist: Jannette Cotterell, Lobbyist and Communications Consultant

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

www.apha.org.au

SOURCE: Australia Private Hospitals Association