The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority and mental health services: it is not a case of "one size fits all"

Authors

Alan Rosen, University of WollongongFollow
Patrick D. Mcgarry, University Of Melbourne
Hamish R. M Hill, University Of Wollongong
S P. Rosenberg, University Of Sydney,University Of Wollongong

RIS ID

61292

Publication Details

Rosen, A., Mcgarry, P. D., Hill, H. R. M. & Rosenberg, S. P. (2012). The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority and mental health services: it is not a case of "one size fits all". Medical Journal of Australia, 196 (11), 675-677.

Abstract

The upcoming implementation of activity-based funding (ABF) should drive unprecedented levels of transparency and has the potential to deliver vital funding increases to mental health services. However, current plans to apply a generic form of ABF based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) to mental health risk a continuation of Australia’s inappropriate hospital-centric model of psychiatric care. There is much work to do to ensure that ABF is implemented in an evidence-based manner to support patients with mental illnesses, who often require long-term community care and support.