The Health News – 30 October 2015

Overview:
• The AMA has lodged its submission in response to the MBS Review Taskforce Consultation Paper with the Department of Health. AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said that the AMA supports a systematic review of the MBS, which involves genuine consultation with all medical specialties.

•  A unique collaboration of organisations and individuals have come together to form The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance – a collaborative voice driven to raising awareness of pancreatic cancer in Australia.

• ssociate Professor Kumud Dhital believes that within two years doctors from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute may be able to drastically increase the number of livers, kidneys and lungs available for transplant using a new technique that brings them back to life after their donor has died.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 30th October 2015. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News

https://ama.com.au/media/mbs-review-priority-must-be-improving-health-not-budget-bottom-line

AMA Submission to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce

The AMA has lodged its submission in response to the MBS Review Taskforce Consultation Paper with the Department of Health.

AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said … that the AMA supports a systematic review of the MBS, which involves genuine consultation with all medical specialties.

“The AMA wants the review to produce a modern MBS that reflects high quality, contemporary medical practice,” Professor Owler said.

“The review should be a single comprehensive update of the MBS that removes or amends outdated items and adds new items to reflect current modern medical care.

“However, the process outlined by the Taskforce Consultation Paper will lead to a fragmented MBS because items will be removed and minor amendments will be made quickly, while any new

items to reflect modern practice would languish in the slow-moving Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) pipeline without being added.

“This raises the perception that the review could be merely a savings exercise with no benefits to patients.

“The AMA recommends a fast review and rapid implementation of its findings, preferably with the full support of the medical profession.

“It is vitally important that the process is rigorous, and ensures that the initial set of findings is tested sufficiently with the relevant medical groups to rule out unintended consequences.

“In our submission, the AMA is proposing a process that would be more efficient and transparent, and which would be more likely to … support the clinical services that patients need.”

The AMA submission is at https://ama.com.au/submission/ama-submission-medicare-benefits-schedule-review-taskforce-consultation-paper
[Check the AMA website under ‘media releases’ for more information.]

http://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/new-alliance-gives-a-united-voice-to-pancreatic-cancer
…
Media Release: 28 October 2015

On the eve of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month and ahead of World Pancreatic Cancer Day (13 November) a unique collaboration of organisations and individuals have come together to form

The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance – a collaborative voice driven to raising awareness of pancreatic cancer in Australia.

The Alliance, united by the need for greater awareness of pancreatic cancer across the Australian community, and coupled with a long-term view of supporting much needed medical research into the disease, [was] formally announced … [this week] by Hon. Jillian Skinner, NSW Minister for Health at NSW Parliament House at an event mceed by the Patron of the Alliance, Tracey Spicer.
…
CEO of the Garvan Research Foundation, and a key facilitator in the formation of the Alliance, Mr Andrew Giles says, “Breakthroughs in pancreatic cancer research are desperately needed. With the second lowest five-year survival rate of all cancers in Australia, of 6.1% [1], it is shocking to think that this poor pancreatic cancer survival rate has barely improved for nearly forty years[2].

The Alliance has come together to make a difference in driving a greater awareness of this cancer across the Australian community.”
…
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death in Australia[3]. It is seldom detected in its early stages and typically spreads rapidly, making it the seventh most common cause of death from cancer worldwide[4].”

Improved survival for many other cancers has been achieved through improved diagnostic methods, earlier detection and better treatment options.
…

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/victor-chang-doctors-working-to-keep-organs-alive-outside-a-human-body-20151026-gkislq.html

Kumud Dhital​ has a very unusual dream. One day, he hopes to work in a lab surrounded by human organs that are surviving outside the human body.

Even more strange is that his dream is not far away from becoming a reality.

Associate Professor Dhital believes that within two years doctors from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute may be able to drastically increase the number of livers, kidneys and lungs available for transplant using a new technique that brings them back to life after their donor has died.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/victor-chang-doctors-working-to-keep-organs-alive-outside-a-human-body-20151026-gkislq.html#ixzz3pvnYzrjx

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