Healthcare reform: possible ways forward*

There is little disagreement about the directions public health reform should take — greater emphasis on primary and preventive care, workforce reform, community participation, improved governance and better application of information technology. It is clear that there are gaps and duplication in clinical services that reflect outdated population patterns and jealously guarded clinical territories. There is concern about the health disadvantage of certain groups, and particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In quality of life measured by life expectancy, Australia ranks number two in the world, but in healthcare equality we rank number 17.1 If all Australians had the same health experience as Aborigines, we would rank number 140 in the world, alongside Bangladesh.