News & Trends - MedTech & Diagnostics
Cost-cutting measures slammed as ‘ticking time bomb’ in heart disease
MedTech & Diagnostics News: In a stark warning to the Federal Government, Dr Nicole Higgins, President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), has highlighted the alarming impact of funding cuts on heart health tests.
Since the 2020 changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), over 2.2 million heart health tests, including ECGs, echocardiograms, and myocardial perfusion studies, were not delivered by GPs, creating what Dr Higgins describes as a “ticking time bomb” for millions of Australians.
The Department of Health’s adjustments to cardiac imaging services, which took effect in August 2020, have sparked significant concern among GPs. Many felt the changes implied a lack of trust in their competence to read and report ECG traces, as the revisions restricted certain ECG services to non-GP specialists and consultant physicians.
“Funding needs to be restored immediately for Australians to get this care from their GP,” said Dr Higgins. “It’s been almost four years since the Federal Government cut this funding, and the risk of people with life-threatening problems being missed since then is huge.”
The recent Australian Medical Association (AMA) submission to the MRAC Electrocardiogram (ECG) Working Group post-implementation review of the changes supports the restoration of MBS items for GPs to interpret ECGs. The submission also noted the AMA’s frustration with the length of time it has taken for this issue to be resolved.
The RACGP strongly opposed the funding cut, which they argue has disproportionately affected patients in rural and remote areas. Local cardiologists are scarce in these communities, meaning that the removal of GP-provided ECG services has effectively left many without accessible care unless they undertake long journeys to see a specialist.
“As a result of this funding cut, 2.2 million fewer ECG services were provided to patients from 2020 to 2022,” Dr Higgins added. “We’ll never know how many patients with heart issues have missed out, whose health has deteriorated, and how many lives could have been saved in the four years since this funding was cut.”
Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Australia, and timely diagnosis and management are crucial. The Heart Foundation estimates that preventive heart disease screening via ECGs in general practice could prevent over 67,000 heart attacks, strokes, and deaths over five years.
“Other specialists also rely on the expertise of GPs to perform and interpret ECGs, such as before a patient starts stimulant medicines for ADHD treatment, so it’s impacting access to care in many other ways,” said Dr Higgins.
“In the current cost-of-living crisis, it’s critical that this funding is returned without delay. This is about restoring access to care for Australians, reducing costs, and ultimately saving lives.”
Dr Higgins warned, “It may have saved the government’s bottom line in the short term, but it’s risking the health of Australians across the country every day.”
In reimagining healthcare, Health Industry HubTM is the ONLY one-stop-hub uniting the diversity of Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors to inspire meaningful change. The exclusive leadership and influencer podcasts and vodcasts offer unparalleled insights and add immense value to our breaking news coverage.
The Health Industry HubTM content is copyright protected. Access is available under individual user licenses. Please click here to subscribe and visit T&Cs here.
News & Trends - MedTech & Diagnostics
Government faces scrutiny for inaction in private hospital sector despite Health Check warnings
Shadow Health Minister Senator Anne Ruston questioned the Department of Health’s commitment to addressing critical issues in the private hospital […]
MoreNews & Trends - MedTech & Diagnostics
Australia lags behind in funding pharmacogenomic testing: Pathologists urge action
Diagnostics & MedTech News: The call for urgent action to improve access to pharmacogenomic testing across Australia comes as demand […]
MoreNews & Trends - Pharmaceuticals
Australia’s first Cholesterol Awareness Week launched to tackle nation’s ‘silent disease’
Pharma News: Leading heart charities have come together to launch the nation’s first Cholesterol Awareness Week (11-17 November), aiming to […]
More