Unit 2 – Area of Study 2: Health care in Australia
Outcome 2
Describe how to access Australia’s health system, explain how it promotes health and wellbeing in their local community, and analyse a range of issues associated with the use of new and emerging health procedures and technologies.
Examples of learning activities
- brainstorm (individually) the following statements relating to the Australian health care system:
- ‘what I know (from personal experience)’
- ‘what I’ve heard (from parents, teachers, media)’
- ‘what I’d like to understand better’.
collate results as a class and discuss - as a class, watch some or all episodes of the 2016 ABC documentary series
Keeping Australia Alive (‘capturing the Australian health system in one snapshot’); note as many examples as they can of how the system promotes health and wellbeing and what issues surround the use of health technologies
- create a
Symbaloo with links to relevant website information regarding Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and private health insurance
- develop a mind map linking core aspects of the Australian healthcare system (Medicare, PBS, private health insurance); use mind mapping software such as SmartDraw, Visio,
Webspiration Classroom, Cmap, Inspiration, MindManager,
Mind42,
MindMeister, Mindomo,
Bubbl.us, or
FreeMind to develop the mind map; the Digital Deck contains information about using
FreeMind and
collaborative idea maps
- create a ‘Double Bubble’ (a type of Venn diagram: use a Google ‘Images’ search for examples) to compare Medicare and private health insurance and identify similarities and differences
- research how to apply for your own Medicare card
- research PBS and present case studies of particular prescription drugs that are part of the scheme; set questions that cover the purpose of the drug, how long it has been included in the scheme and how Australians have benefited from its conclusion
- private health insurance offers both hospital and extras cover; research some of the services covered by ‘extras’ insurance and discuss how these could improve health and wellbeing
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present students with the following group-task scenario: they are managing a new private health insurance company and planning a social media advertising campaign; document possible micro blogs (e.g. ‘Tweets’ on Twitter, which are up to 140 characters) that the company could put out in order to encourage individuals to take out private health insurance; consider the advantages of having private health insurance, the services it covers and government incentives
- ask students to research and consider the question ‘Private health insurance: is it worth it?’; take part in a class debate or write a persuasive article to either encourage people to take out private health insurance or to argue that their healthcare needs can be met by Medicare
- students explore their local area to identify and list the health services available to residents, this could either be a literal walk in the local community or an internet investigation; classify the services according to the particular dimensions of health that they may promote
- design a brochure aimed at new residents in the student’s area/suburb about the type of health services available; due to the potentially large number of services students could focus on a particular user group in their brochure (e.g. families, the elderly, women, men, ethnic groups, refugees), or a particular dimension of health and wellbeing
- visit a local Community Health Centre or invite a guest to speak to students; ask about the range of services they offer, major clientele accessing their services and how the centre is funded
- conduct a class discussion on factors that may affect youth access to health services; consider how these factors be may similar or different for adults and the elderly
- research services available to help refugees or people of CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) backgrounds access health services
- visit a hospital or invite a guest to speak to students about how the hospital supports minority groups to access appropriate health services; consider ways that the health system could improve to ensure everyone accesses the health services they require
- undertake a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of accessing health information online
- research a list of digital health apps
- investigate the most popular apps that promote health and wellbeing in Australia; write a review on one and share results; for tips refer to
VicHealth’s Healthy living apps
- in small groups, students devise and share scenarios and/or case studies that illustrate how young people might find themselves relying on digital media such as websites and online health practitioners to access the health information and support they need
- view My Health Record; identify what the My Health Record is, the benefits of having a record and the possible privacy and security issues
- create an infographic that lists the rights and responsibilities of consumers accessing health services
- consider medical technologies that enable the following: IVF, genetic testing/selection of embryos, surrogacy with donor egg/sperm, organ donation, 3D printing of body parts; choose one to research and present facts, findings, possible ethical considerations, and equity and access issues in a
Padlet
- investigate and explain a new and/or popular medical technology; create a flow chart that shows the steps involved
- analyse a new or controversial medical technology or procedure using the
Visible Thinking Compass Points
- consider the ethical issues associated with overseas surrogacy; write a letter to the government arguing for or against the following statement: ‘Australia must legalise compensated surrogacy’; consider the following article
Arrest and uncertainty overseas show why Australia must legalise compensated surrogacyto help with ideas
- present students with a hypothetical situation: ‘A new combination of surgery and drugs has been found to halt Alzheimer’s Disease in its tracks. The surgery requires new techniques and cutting-edge equipment. The drug has been developed and patented by an international pharmaceutical company. Treatment costs $250,000 per patient. Families are desperate. The federal health minister is under pressure to announce a fair approach that will assist all Australians.’; write an imaginative piece from the point of view of one of the following:
- a doctor
- a family member of a patient
- the CEO of the pharmaceutical company
- the health minister.
responses should focus on at least one of the following: ethics, equity of access, privacy, invasiveness and freedom of choice
- develop a brochure, pamphlet or visual presentation that could be displayed in a hospital or doctors’ rooms informing patients of their rights and avenues for complaint about a particular health system; use the
Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights to access information about healthcare rights
Detailed example
Blog: social media meets private health insurance
Students work in groups to develop their own private health insurance company. They consider their purpose and what might set them apart from other similar companies. They devise a company name and design a logo.
The company needs to promote itself in order to get new customers. As part of this promotional campaign the company joins a microblogging platform (e.g. Twitter).
With the aim of encouraging individuals to take out private health insurance, students plan and produce possible microblogs (note that Twitter messages are 140 characters or less), along with suitable photos/illustrations and/or links to online information. Each group documents and shares its social media campaign in using a presentation file such as PowerPoint,
Prezi or
Padlet.
Students should consider the following in their collection of microblogs:
- types of options available (e.g. hospital cover, extras)
- levels of cover available
- advantages of having private health insurance
- government incentives available to make private health insurance more affordable.