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Clinical Radiology
42 Inside News
The ongoing Medicare Benefits
Schedule (MBS) Review will define how
our health system operates for years to
come.
That is why The Royal Australian and
New Zealand College of Radiologists
and three other peak bodies – Breast
Surgeons of Australia and New
Zealand, Breast Cancer Network
Australia, and the Australian Diagnostic
Imaging Association – are urging the
Federal Health Minister to commission
a pilot study into how to improve the
effectiveness of breast cancer imaging
from a patient’s perspective.
Breast cancer is now the most common
cancer affecting Australian women.
But crucially, this pilot study would not
only help improve the rates for early
diagnosis and treatment of breast
cancer patients, it would also provide
insight and benefits that could be
applied to virtually any patient group.
Simply put, the concept is to detail
the patient’s journey, identify the
hurdles they face and devise ways
of eliminating or minimising these
problems – it’s about being smarter in
how Medicare supports patients.
Breast cancer patients struggle with
a range of issues – these include
understanding the technologies
involved, unfair high out-of-pocket
costs and up-front bills, restricted
access to qualified services,
unnecessarily repeated imaging, limits
on the imaging which can be done in
the same day, and the need for MRIs
which aren’t Medicare funded.
The four groups urging the pilot
study have intimate knowledge and
experience of the current system and
have offered to assist the MBS Review
working groups to ensure the study is
comprehensive and effective.
The need for this pilot study is even
greater if the next round of cuts is taken
into account.
With the federal government unwilling
to rule out plans to slash $100 million a
year from patient rebates for diagnostic
imaging, costs for many breast cancer
patients will rise even further.
So it is inevitable that faced with these
additional expenses, more people will
walk away from the system. Instead of
early diagnosis and treatment, their
condition will worsen. This is terrible
for them and counterproductive for the
health system as patients will eventually
require more intense and much more
expensive treatment.
The MBS Review is a rare opportunity
to provide sick and worried people
with a less challenging journey through
the health system by improving the
efficiency of Medicare through changes
to rules and funding.
Dr Christian Wriedt
ADIA President
ADIA Update
Breast cancer pilot study
proposed for MBS Review
The views expressed are those of ADIA and
publication of this article does not in any
way constitute an endorsement by The Royal
Australian and New Zealand College of
Radiologists (RANZCR).
The Organising Committee is
delighted to invite you to ANZSPR
2016 Annual Scientific Meeting to
be held 16-19 October 2016 at the
Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa on
Queensland’s beautiful Gold Coast.
Join us for a three-day program
featuring local and international
speakers, focusing on topics including
musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal and
genitourinary imaging. The program
and content is suitable for radiologists,
radiology registrars and Fellows,
radiographers and specialists with an
interest in imaging.
Along with the academic program,
delegates will be able to enjoy a
social program comprising a welcome
reception at Glass Dining and Lounge
Bar and the conference dinner to
be held at Fellini Restaurant, both
conveniently located at the Marina
Mirage Shopping Centre just a five-
minute walk from the resort.
The beachfront Sheraton Mirage
Resort and Spa is ideally located
to take advantage of the Gold
Coast’s many tourist attractions and
theme parks. Explore the stunning
beaches, take in the view from the
Q1 observation deck or escape to the
Gold Coast hinterland where you’ll
discover boutique wineries, local arts
and crafts and numerous walking trails.
We look forward to seeing you on the
Gold Coast. For more information, visit
ANZSPR 2016 Organising
Committee
ANZSPR
Annual Scientific
Meeting 2016
16-19 October
– Gold Coast, QLD