Day Hospitals Australia National Conference — still time to register!

The Day Hospitals Australia National Conference is just around the corner. We hope to see you in Sydney from 31 August–2 September, so register now to avoid missing out. Our carefully selected speakers bring a wealth of practical knowledge in the areas that mean the most to you.

This year’s conference features an expanded program with a blend of plenary and concurrent sessions focussing on three streams all of which are crucial to running a day hospital or small hospital:

1. Management
2. Business Development
3. Clinical

Topics of key interest include:

PANEL SESSION: Turning the Tables and Shaping the Future of Health Fund Negotiations

Five speakers make up this extended panel session to discuss what you need to know about negotiations in the future:

• Jane Griffiths — The CEO of Day Hospitals Australia will kick off this session by briefly outlining the lobbying and advocacy activities of Day Hospitals Australia with respect to member concerns on the topic of private health insurance fund negotiations.
• Bruce Houghton — The Director of Health Care Funding Solutions Pty Ltd will discuss the affordability crisis of private health insurance funds.
• Jenny Patton — The former Executive General Manager - Strategy of Health Care, who formerly worked at Medibank, will provide suggested strategies based on what private health insurance funds like to see and also cover fund negotiations at group level, what happens and how they prepare — noting the distinction between group and day hospitals being materially very different and the importance of the planning process.
• Scott Bell — The Executive Director of Nexus Hospitals will provide some hints and tips from a day hospital operator perspective on what has worked and perhaps what hasn’t with negotiations - providing something substantial to take away and put into practice.
• Josephine Root — The Policy Manager for the Consumer Health Forum of Australia will provide the consumer’s perspective and the value that the consumer is looking for in relation to their health service delivery.
• Questions — The session will end by inviting questions from the audience to specific or all panel members.

PANEL SESSION: Growing Opportunities by Forging Relationships in Specialised Day Hospitals

Each panel member will share their thoughts and the strategic approach of their organisation towards the future development of same day surgery and medical care in the standalone day hospital sector, followed by a question and answer style interaction with delegates, chaired by Prof Gab Kovacs, Board Chairperson of Day Hospitals Australia.

One of the key strategic objectives for the benefit of members and the sector is for Day Hospitals Australia to further build relationships with Medical Colleges, Societies and Organisations, with an interest in utilising the day hospital sector to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of the Australian Health Care System.

We are delighted to welcome the following panel members for this session:

• Dr Iain Dunlop, FRANZCO, FRACS — Board Member and Chair, Australian Medical Association Board
• Mr Philip Truskett, AM MBBS, FRACS — President and Chair of Council and Executive, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
• Mr Dan Kennedy, MBBS, FRACS (Plast) — Honorary Secretary of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Dr Peter Sumich, MBBS (Hons.) FRANZCO, FRCOphth — Vice President, Society of Ophthalmologists
• Dr Katie Ellard, MBBS, FRACP — Member of Gastroenterology Society of Australia (GESA) Council

Further details on the program and speakers, the venue and how to get there, accommodation offered (Novotel and Pullman, Sydney Olympic Park) which can be booked as part of your online registration, site visits offered on the Saturday and other information can be viewed on the conference website at http://www.dayhospitalsaustraliaconference.net.au/welcome.html

Registration Contact — Should you have any queries on the registration process please contact Synergy Events, our external event managers, who would be happy to assist on T: 02 9977 5546 or dayhospitalsaustralia@synergyevents.com.au.

Day Hospitals Australia — Should you have a query about our conference in general please do not hesitate to contact the Day Hospitals Australia staff on info@dayhospitalsaustralia.net.au or T: 1800 752 822.