Improving quality in Australian Health Care

Developed countries around the world are grappling with the\udissue of delivering high quality, sustainable health care. They\udhave seen the cost of health care rise over the last 20 years.\udEach of the countries has experienced healthcare reform with\udrespective policies aiming towards a value-based healthcare\uddelivery system, and the recent Reform of the Federation\udagenda in Australia has articulated the requirements for the\udhealth system (Figure 1).1Primary care has been a central part\udof the delivery system for most of these developed countries\udwith observational research confirming the value of primary\udcare offering first-contact, comprehensive, coordinated, and\udcontinuous care.2 Paradoxically, at the same time primary care\udand general practice has been subject to criticism resulting in\uda series of reforms towards more organised primary care\udthrough the formation of meso-level primary health care\udorganisations (PHCO).\u