Governments and health authorities need to completely remove the distinction between public and private hospitals in order to meet the surge of cases brought on by the novel coronavirus COVID019, according to CEO at Private Healthcare Australia Dr Rachel David. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed his government is working with private hospitals in order to keep them operating despite an almost total ban on elective surgeries.
There is concern some private operators might choose to close their doors after Healthe Care, Australia’s third biggest private hospital operator, stood down 8,000 staff due to a lack of revenue.
Dr David told Sky News said private hospitals can play a vital role in the global pandemic.
Governments need to ensure they have enough intensive care beds to look after anyone with COVID who has deteriorated," she said.
"And secondly, they need to ensure anyone with an urgent surgical condition, like a badly broken leg or acute appendicitis, has somewhere to go so they won't catch the virus.
"Every state government has been negotiating separately with the private hospitals to be able to work out how many have intensive care and what other capacity they need in separate, what they call clean hospitals, to do the other surgeries and other procedures we need done."
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