Programs - Australian Better Health Initiative (ABHI)
What is ABHI?
In February 2006, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) announced a four-year, national program called the Australian Better Health Initiative (ABHI) to strengthen the health system’s focus on promoting good health and reducing the burden of chronic disease.
There are five priority areas identified under ABHI:
- Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
- Supporting Early Detection of Lifestyle risk factors and chronic disease
- Supporting lifestyle and risk factor modification
- Encouraging active patient self management
- Improving integration and coordination of care
The fifth priority area under ABHI is focused on improving integration so that people with chronic conditions can receive more flexible and innovative support.
Both the NSW Government and Australian Commonwealth Government have dedicated funding to this component of ABHI.
The Australian Government has provided $9 million over four years (2006/07 – 2009/10) through the NSW Divisions network to improve integration of state and commonwealth funded health services.
What is this Division doing?
The Division received funding to improve access to services for older patients. Initially the Program will focus on patients with neurodegenerative diseases, primarily dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke injury. The aim is to support to both patients and their carers through improved care pathways.
Current activities:
- Continuum of Care was mapped in collaboration with local services
- Directory of local allied health and community services was developed and distributed to local GPs and allied health services
- Access criteria for local public health services was identified
- A ‘log of issues’ relating to referral problems has been developed and is being promoted to local GPs
- Working relationships have been developed with local public and private health services, carer and support groups, residential Aged Care Facilities.
- A ‘Care pathway’ with a focus on identifying and accessing local community services has been developed for use by local GPs.
- Trials in facilitating communication between hospital and allied health services and GPs have been developed with local health services. One example is the Bankstown Hospital Outpatients – General Practice Falls Risk Assessment and Referral Initiative
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