While the Australian health system ranks highly against other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries,14 it still faces significant challenges.
They include responding to changing user needs and continuing to provide high quality and value.
Health care infrastructure quality will play a vital role in Australia's ability to meet these challenges.
" It is time to fully embrace innovative, smart models of health care service delivery beyond traditional bricks and mortar."
This country's immediate and highly successful health response to the COVID-19 pandemic showed how important adaptable, responsive and high-functioning health infrastructure is to continued quality of life.
However, an ageing population, increasing rates of chronic disease,15 growing facility maintenance costs and unsustainable infrastructure funding models are set to put pressure on Australia's ability to meet health infrastructure demand.16
The challenges being faced by the health care system are not new, nor are they specific to Australia. A 2016 OECD report showed that health care spending has grown faster than economic growth in all OECD countries, and will become unaffordable without reform.17
It is time to fully embrace innovative, smart models of health care service delivery beyond traditional bricks and mortar.
To meet the needs of Australians into the future, health care must be designed around prevention and early intervention.
By embracing new approaches, governments can improve standards and accessibility, reduce the need for hospitalisation and drive a transition to integrated care that is planned around patient needs and supported by technology.18