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Ingram Pursuing BRHS Ambulance Cost Blowout

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has again taken up the issue of inequitable ambulance transfer costs that is being borne by the Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS).

By Craig Ingram MP - 5th April 2007 - Back to News

Mr Ingram has sought further action from the Minister for Health and the State Government to have this enormous cost impact addressed

"This action builds on work I have been undertaking for our health service over several years," Mr Ingram said.

"Representatives from BRHS and I have met on a number of occasions with government representatives, the Minister for Health and the health department to discuss the impact of the inequitable burden in ambulance transfer costs borne by BRHS.

"It is generally acknowledged that BRHS is paying an unfair amount of ambulance transfer costs due to the structure of the allocation of ambulance costs to the hospital that transfers the patient.

"Because Bairnsdale admits, stabilises and then transfers patients large distances (mostly to Melbourne by air ambulance) and has an extremely large service area, this cost is much greater on BRHS than any other health service in the state.

"The annual cost to the health service is well in excess of $1 million per year, which is not compensated for under the government funding arrangements.

"The BRHS board and management have undertaken significant efforts to deal with budget issues and it is justifiably disappointed that in return the government has not addressed this inequitable ambulance cost.

"This increased cost burden is impacting on the hospital’s ability to fund other important programs, services and facilities.

"This inequity must be resolved by the Minister to enable the BRHS to continue to deliver high standard of health care and services without diverting over a million dollars to ambulance costs," Mr Ingram concluded.


Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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