Women’s Health Week series: How to achieve equity in diagnostic excellence, Roche Diagnostics MD

In celebrating Women’s Health Week, this interview in a series called Women, Equity and Health will focus on equity in timely access to screening tests and diagnostics.

Allison Rossiter, Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics Australia joined Health Industry Hub to discuss the emerging themes in women’s health and equity that Roche Diagnostics is focussing on and how the company is pushing the boundaries of innovation to bring equity of access to screening and diagnostics for women and girls now and in the future.

This year’s theme for the Women’s Health Week is ‘It’s all about you’. The Jean Hailes’ Women’s Health survey (n=6218) highlighted that almost one third (31.7%) of Australian women aged 25 – 44 did not have enough time to attend health check appointments, and one in four could not get an appointment when they needed one.

The issue of limited availability and access to healthcare is amplified for women living in rural and remote areas and for Australia’s First Nations women. Allison reflected on the role of companies like Roche Diagnostics in narrowing these health inequities.

Almost 40% of the Women’s Health survey respondents also said that they could not afford healthcare when they needed it. Allison talked about how employers can address the systemic drivers of the gender pay gap in narrowing the impact of health inequity experienced by women.

Lastly, Allison touched on the bold actions necessary to elevate women’s voices at the levels of decision-making to form meaningful and effective policies and legislation in narrowing the health inequities impacting Australians.