APHA Public Affairs
Lisa Ramshaw, Public Affairs Manager
A number of policy issues this year have had public affairs and communications components to them including the changes to the Medicare Levy Surcharge and the subsequent inquiry into the efficiency of the public and private hospital systems. Much time and effort has also been spent on lobbying against the changes to the Private Health Insurance rebates proposed by the federal Government. In an often hostile political landscape, APHA has charted a course that provides unwavering support for our member hospitals across the country.
The public affairs area of APHA works closely with the APHA Industry Promotion and Marketing taskforce. Members of this taskforce include:
- Peter Freeleagus, (Chair), Cura Day Hospitals
- Craig McNally, Ramsay Health Care
- Leanne Kemp, Manningham Day Procedure Centre
- Anne Crouch, Eye-Tech Day Surgeries
- Christine Gee, Toowong Private Hospital
- Carmel Monaghan, Ramsay Health Care
- Leisa O’Connor, Sydney Adventist Hospital
- Iolande Perivolaris, Healthe
The main priority area for 2009 was improved communications with members which has been achieved in a number of ways:
- Panels of Interest
- Electorate Communications
- Revamped Magazine
- New APHA website
- Revamped members’ newsletters and bulletins
Early on in the year members were invited to nominate themselves for Panels of Interest participants in each of the taskforces. These participants receive all correspondence, agendas, minutes of meetings and can comment on work undertaken by each of the APHA taskforces.
Council members have also been encouraged to communicate regularly with their APHA electorates. The APHA secretariat set up email distribution lists for Councillors to stay in touch with members’ requirements.
Private Hospital magazine received a redesign and new look with the appointment of a new publishing house, Globe Publishing, in August 2009. Private Hospital consistently comes out on top of the members’ survey as the communications tool most widely read and used in the industry and it was overdue for a cleaner design. The magazine continues to be themed around areas important to private hospitals and members are encouraged to submit articles for publication in order to promote ‘best practice’ and sharing of ideas.
Also in August, APHA revealed a new website, www.apha.org.au. The website features a cleaner, easy to use design with a secure member area for safety and quality information, member forums, a jobs board organised by State, APHA submissions to Governments, events listings and the Procedure Banding Schedule. Features for the public include a Find-a-Hospital feature with members’ hospitals searchable on a Google map, the jobs board and an updated media centre with media releases, back issues of newsletters and magazines and important facts and figures about the private hospital industry.
Rounding out the stable of APHA publications, the weekly e-bulletin was redesigned and renamed Vital Signs. This newsletter keeps members and others up-to-date with a weekly compendium of essential information. The Members’ Bulletin and Information Papers series of bulletins have also had a redesign and have been received positively by the membership.
