Section A - Policy
16. Specific Programs & Technical Details
Appendix 1-Consultation and Liaison
The development of the proposals and processes outlined in this document have been undertaken with industry support and advice. The Department has regular liaison with metropolitan Networks, country hospitals and the Victorian Healthcare Association on matters relating to casemix development. Refinement of the AN-DRG Version 3 weights has been through the consultants Health Services Research Group and after discussions with representatives of the Casemix Clinical Sub-Committee. Major consultative groups have included the following in addition to industry specific consultations:
- The Victorian Casemix Clinical Committee, chaired by Associate Professor John Wilson, has provided substantial advice and support in the development of general policy initiatives, classification and implementation issues.
- The Victorian Ambulatory Classification System Advisory Committee (VACSAC) has overseen the implementation of the system. The Clinical Panel chaired by Dr Peter Greenberg, oversaw the assignment of clinics for the new system.
- The emergency categorisation was developed by the Emergency Services Categorisation and Funding Taskforce.
- The Acute Health Quality Committee, chaired by Professor Stephen Duckett, have advanced strategic policy directions, particularly relating to accreditation policy and the ongoing development of acute health performance indicators.
- The Rehabilitation Funding Model Industry Consultative Group provided advice on the development and implementation of the new rehabilitation classification and funding system.
- The Advisory Committee on Access to Elective Surgery, chaired by Mr Colin Russell, provides advice on the elective component of the Hospital Access Program and monitors public hospital waiting lists.
- The Ministerial Taskforce on Trauma and Emergency Services, chaired by Robert Doyle MP, provided advice to government on a best practice state-wide trauma system model responsive to the identified needs of critically ill trauma patients.
- The Consultative Council on Emergency and Critical Care Services, chaired by Professor Ian Brand, received regular reports and provided comment on the emergency and critical care elements of the Hospital Access Program as it was developed. The Council completed its term in December 1998. A new Committee that will continue some functions of the previous Council and help the department progress issues relating to trauma and emergency services is being established in 1999.
- A State Trauma Committee will be established forming part of the advisory arm of the Victorian State Trauma System. It will act as a subcommittee to the Ministerial Emergency and Critical Care Committee and will provide leadership in state wide system auditing and quality improvement and advice on policy development, best practice issues and purchasing strategies.
- The Radiotherapy Implementation Advisory Committee met to advise on implementation aspects of the Review of Radiotherapy Services undertaken by the Department by ACIL Consulting.
- The Renal Reference Group consists primarily of practising clinicians. This Committee played a key role in commissioning and reviewing the renal cost consultancy. It monitors on an ongoing basis both growth and technical developments in this modality.
- The Industry Finance Committee provides a forum to discuss and resolve financial issues including directions for purchasing policy.
- The Allied Health Training and Development Reference Group reviewed the undergraduate allied health component of the Training and Development Grant and advised on a new method of allocation based on clinical days.
- The Clinical Costing Standards Committee (CCSC) comprises hospital clinical costing and finance managers and develops clinical costing standards.
- The Acute Health Clinical Indicator Steering Committee is advising the Department on the development, implementation and reporting of performance indicators.
- The Victorian Advisory Committee on Casemix Data Integrity examines data issues related to casemix funding and includes departmental and industry representation.
- The Victorian Hospital Patient Register Reference Committee comprises representatives from clinical groups, consumer advocacy, and technical and health information professionals. The role of the committee is to examine the technical feasibility and service management value of establishing a statewide register of Victorian public hospital clients. The initial purpose of the register is to improve the linking of de-identified clinical information in the Department's RAPID Data Warehouse. Subject to patients' rights to privacy and participation as the cornerstone, the committee also advises on policy requirements for further extension of the state register to provide a platform for clinical information exchange or an integrated electronic clinical record.
- The Critical Care Interhospital Transfer Monitoring and Advisory Group assists in the ongoing development of the critical care interhospital transfer component of the Hospital Access Program. The group includes representatives from Health Care Network management, the Office of the Coordinator of Emergency and Critical Care Services and from the fields of intensive care and cardiology.
- The Steering Committee for the project to develop and trial a model for the monitoring of patient satisfaction in Victorian hospitals has provided advice to the Department on future directions and methodology for obtaining feedback from patients on their experiences of care.
- The Chest Pain Evaluation Area Working Party assists with the implementation of the Chest Pain Evaluation Area pilot. The working party is comprised of representatives from the Department and the three pilot hospitals and has examined issues such as patient eligibility criteria, the evaluation methodology and data collection for the pilots.
- The Discharge Strategy Expert Advisory Group includes hospital, community and consumer representatives and provides the Department with guidance on the implementation of the Effective Discharge Strategy.
- The Hospital in the Home Advisory Committee, provided advice on the HITH Program.
- The Victorian Hospitals Organ Donation Project is a joint project of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society and the Department. It provides advice on the organ donation audit and family survey.
- The Expert Working Group on Surveillance of Nosocomial Infections has been reviewing currently available surveillance systems and advising on minimum data sets and possible performance indicators.
- External assessors have provided expert advice and referees reports on projects and programs submitted for the Quality Improvement Program and the quality improvement Funding for Maternity Services