Private hospitals willing and able to care for SA patients

Thursday, 24 June 2021

Private hospitals willing and able to care for SA patients
The Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) SA branch has welcomed the South Australian
Government's commitment to 'fast track' elective surgery in this week's Budget.

APHA SA President and sportsmed hospital CEO Alan Morrison said waiting lists for elective surgery had
blown out across the country.

"Private hospitals are willing and able to help state governments meet the demand for elective surgery. It is
not uncommon for public hospitals to enlist the assistance of the private sector to deliver much needed care
to patients. While 'elective' might suggest the surgery isn't urgent, if you can't walk because you are waiting
for a hip replacement, 'elective' becomes 'urgent' very quickly," he said.

The South Australian government committed to 'fast-tracking' elective surgery – which APHA supports,
however a change in process with improved longer-term demand management planning in consultation
with the private hospital sector would deliver more benefits to South Australian patients.

"Our members tell us that these promises would be easier to deliver with improved longer-term planning.

As with many things, the amount of money invested sounds significant, but if it's not delivered well, people
will continue to miss out.

"It is easy to predict that in winter we will see an increase in public hospital admissions. That will mean
elective surgery is bumped. If private hospitals were scheduled to perform those elective surgeries, which
they are happy to support public services to do, with plenty of notice to prepare and set aside theatre time,
all would run much more smoothly.

"At the moment short notice periods have meant the private hospital sector hasn't been able to support the
public system as we would have liked but the sector remains committed to partnering for the benefit of the
community."

-ENDSMedia contact: Frith Rayner, Director Communications and Marketing, 0413 971 999

The Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) is the largest peak industry body representing the private hospital and day
surgery sector. The private hospital sector treats 4.6 million patients a year, including treatment of more than a third of
chemotherapy, about 60 percent of all surgery, 60 percent of all elective musculoskeletal surgery.

Level 3 /11 National Circ, Barton ACT 2600. PO Box 4502, Kingston ACT 2604. [T] 02 6273 9000 [F] 02 6273 7000
[E] [W] www.apha.org.au [FB] ValuingPrivateHospitals [Twitter] @priv8hospitals
ABN 82 008 623 809

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