Health services administration

Equal treatment for equal need is not enough — positive discrimination for disadvantaged groups is also required

Kim M Dalziel BHealthSc(Hons), MHealthEcon, PhD · Jeffrey R Richardson PhD

Children with autism spectrum disorders may not be diagnosed as early as possible and desirable

Catherine A Bent BPsySc(Hons) · Cheryl Dissanayake PhD · Josephine Barbaro PhD

A reduced rate of breastfeeding after breast augmentation highlights a need for support

Christine L Roberts MB BS, FAFPHM, DrPH · Amanda J Ampt DipAppSc, MHIM, PostGradDipClinEp · Charles S Algert MPH · Mark S Sywak MB BS, MMedSc(ClinEpi), FRACS · Jian Sheng C Chen MStats, MPH, PhD

General practice researchers measure the minimum likely effect of not indexing Medicare schedule fees

Christopher Harrison BPsy(Hons), MSocHealth · Clare Bayram BAppSc(HIM)(Hons), PhD · Graeme C Miller MB BS, PhD, FRACGP · Helena C Britt BA, PhD

The many benefits for rural doctors and patients suggest it is time for telehealth to be part of routine clinical practice

Sabe Sabesan BM BS, FRACP · Jenny Kelly BN, MPH, PhD

New research on how enterococci become drug-resistant suggests that hospital practice should evolve in line with our new insights

Surendra Karki MSc, MScIH, PhD · Karin Leder FRACP, PhD, MPH · Allen C Cheng FRACP, MPH, PhD

Known HIV status and testing rates have increased in a high-risk population with tuberculosis

Jeffrey J Post MB BS(Hons), PhD, FRACP · Hazel Goldberg MB BS, FRACP · Gregory Kaufman FRACP · Marshall Plit MB BCh, PhD, FRACP · Kelly-Anne Ressler BSc, MPH · Mark J Ferson MD, FAFPHM, FRACP

Mental health has enormous economic and societal consequences, yet policies are sadly inadequate

Stephen Leeder

Everyone shares in the responsibility of reporting adverse events

Lynn M Weekes

An expansion of clinical infrastructure for early psychosis intervention offers new possibilities for research, treatment and service development

On behalf of the Australian Early Psychosis Research Network Writing Group

Creating momentum for clinicians to avoid health practices of limited value

Gerry O’Callaghan MB BCh BAO, FFARCSI, FCICM · Hendrika Meyer MB ChB, FACEM, AFCHSM · Adam G Elshaug MPH, PhD

It is time to implement a clinical risk management system in general practices

Anish M Philip BPharm(Hons), GradCertPP

In reply: A new patient safety collaborative manual should help with capturing, analysing and preventing harm in general practice

Amr Abou Elnour MB BCh, PhD, GradDipPHC · Dale Ford MB BS, FRACGP, FACRRM · James A Dunbar MD, FRCPEdin, FRCGP

General practice needs to be the pivot in the national screening program

Oliver R Frank PhD, FRACGP, FACHI · Nigel P Stocks DipPH, MD, FRACGP

Australians with affective and anxiety disorders are not all receiving evidence-based care

Meredith G Harris MPH · Megan J Hobbs PhD · Philip M Burgess PhD · Jane E Pirkis PhD · Sandra Diminic MPH · Dan J Siskind MB BS, PhD, FRANZCP · Gavin Andrews MD, FRANZCP · Harvey A Whiteford MB BS, MPH, FRANZCP

Freezing the price of Medicare benefits will be more effective than the ill fated copayment

John B Best AO, MD BS, PhD, DSc(Hon)

Expansion of intellectual property rights will further increase the cost of medicines in Australia

Deborah H Gleeson PhD, MPH, GradDipHealthProm · Hazel Moir PhD, EMA, BA(Hons) · Ruth Lopert BMed, MMedSci, FAFPHM

While Australia already conducts world-class research, future global leadership requires a major funding investment

Anthony L Cunningham AO, MD, FRACP, FRCPA · Teresa Anderson BAppSc, PhD · Christine C Bennett AO, MB BS, MPaed, FRACP · Brendan S Crabb AC, PhD · Gareth Goodier MB ChB, FRACMA, FAFPHM · Douglas Hilton PhD, BSc(Hons), BSc · Elizabeth Koff BSc, DipNutr · Joe Trapani MB BS, FRACP, PhD

A more flexible approach than that currently mandated by the PBS is recommended

Craig Gedye MB ChB, FRACP, PhD · Frances M Boyle MB BS, PhD, FRACP

Limited use of aggressive treatment, but late referrals to palliative care and high numbers dying in acute hospitals after lengthy stays

Jennifer Philip PhD, FAChPM, MMed · Peter Hudson PhD, BN(Hons), DipAppSc · Adam Bostanci PhD, MPhil, MSc · Annette Street BEd(Hons), PhD · Dell E Horey PhD, MMedSc(ClinEpidemiol), BAppSc · Sanchia Aranda PhD, MN · Rachel Zordan PhD, BSc(Psych), BSc(Health) · Bruce D Rumbold PhD, MA, MSc · Gaye Moore PhD, MPD, BN(Hons) · Vijaya Sundararajan MD, MPH, FACP

Advanced age should not be the major factor in considering a patient for curative radiotherapy

Richard C Khor BMedSc, MB BS, FRANZCR · Mathias Bressel BSc, MSc · Jo Tedesco MBIT · Keen Hun Tai MB BS, FRANZCR · David L Ball MB BS, MD, FRANZCR · Gillian M Duchesne MB ChB, MD, FRANZCR · Helen Farrugia BAppSc(HIM), GradDip(BIT) · Wai Kuan Yip PhD, GradDipAppStats · Farshad Foroudi MB BS, MPA, FRANZCR

Doctors can protect public health by raising awareness of the health implications of trade policy

Anne Marie T Thow PhD, MPubPolicy, BSc(Hons) · Deborah H Gleeson PhD, MPH, GradDipHealthProm · Sharon Friel PhD, MSc, BSc(Hons)

How the world economy is likely to perform will determine the resources available to us for health care

Stephen Leeder

A better understanding of patient safety threats and incidents is needed to inform preventive action

Lesley M Russell BSc(Hons), BA, PhD · Paresh Dawda MB BS, FRCGP(UK), FRACGP