Business View Oceania - June 2023

5 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 5, ISSUE 6 CREATING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR A SAFE, HIGH QUALITY AND FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OPENING L INES O p e n i n g L i n e s Australia’s healthcare needs are constantly growing and changing, particularly in a post- COVID environment and with our aging population. Our healthcare system needs to keep pace with these changes if it is to provide quality and accessible care to people who are most in need. ‘Ensuring safety and quality, and consistent monitoring and reviewing, is a key component of any well-functioning healthcare system,’ says Australian Health Review Editor-in-Chief Dr Sonĵ Hall. Released today, the June 2023 issue of the Australian Health Review, the Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association’s peer- reviewed journal, includes health policy research that strengthens the evidence base and leads us towards the best possible healthcare system to provide Australians with safe, high quality and financially accessible care. Reducing diagnostic errors is one aspect of improving care. A Perspective in this month’s issue examines how healthcare organisations can improve diagnostic safety. It is estimated that diagnostic error affects up to 10% of clinical encounters and is a major contributing factor to 1 in 100 hospital deaths. ‘Healthcare funding reform is another key area of interest in this issue, as many households in Australia continue to face high levels of financial