NSW State elections and health policy

I participated in a recent forum convened by Research Australia with Jillian Skinner, Shadow Minister for Health in NSW. With the State election due on 26 March, the forum provided an opportunity to outline the medical technology industry’s policy objectives for implementation after the election. NSW has the highest concentration of medical technology companies in Australia with approximately 56% located in the State. Several of these are also major manufacturers and exporters of medical technology.

There are many challenges in NSW including:

• While NSW may be the epicentre of the med tech industry in Australia there is limited leverage from proximity to quality research, teaching and manufacturing
• Limited opportunity for clinical evaluations of new products in NSW hospitals
• Limited opportunity for SMEs to participate in health product supply
• Nationally inconsistent procurement practices, which add cost to the healthcare system.

Some solutions to meet these challenges include:

• Demand-led industry development in response to identified health needs – using health needs as a lever to drive innovation
• A commitment to an agreed number of clinical evaluations in the public hospital system to support the introduction of innovative technologies
• Effective mechanisms to identify and commercialise innovations from within the hospital system (using the UK’s NHS Innovations model)
• Leveraging the presence of leading medical research bodies, universities and manufacturers into hubs, which can act as incubators for emerging companies
• Reform of procurement practices (as outlined in MTAA’s Position Paper on reforms to public health procurement):
  - Nationally consistent tender and contract terms
  - Flexibility to supply niche products to solve health system needs
  - Skills development in health procurement.

MTAA looks forward to further opportunities to advance these reform proposals after the election.

Global Harmonisation Task Force (GHTF)

A recent meeting of the regulators from the founding member countries of GHTF (US, EU, Japan, Canada and Australia) resolved to terminate the GHTF, which for the past 18 or so years has worked on the development of a regulatory model and supporting documents to underpin globally harmonised regulation of medical technologies. The decision has been communicated to the industry associations in the founding member countries, which to date have participated on an equal footing with regulators. The regulators have proposed a new regulator-only forum with global reach, which will consult with other interested groups including industry, healthcare professionals and consumers in the advancement of regulatory harmonisation.

The national and regional industry associations involved in GHTF will be meeting shortly to map out their response.

The next (and possibly final) meeting of the GHTF will be held in Brisbane in May. 

Anne Trimmer
Chief Executive Officer

MTAA has recently updated the statistics available for the medical technology industry in Australia for 2010. The Australian medical technology industry:

• includes over 450 companies
• employs over 17,500 people
• includes over 14,000 medical devices listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)
• is mainly located in NSW (54%), followed by VIC (24%), QLD (11%) and WA (7%)
• has a total annual revenue in the order of $7.6 billion
• generated imports of $3.3 billion and exports of $1.2 billion
• includes 53 companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) with a combined market capitalisation of $2.4 billion
• spent $388 million on R&D in 2008-2009.

The global medical technology market is valued at over US$300 billion per annum. Australia's share of the international market is estimated at 2.61%.

This information is also available from the About the industry section of the MTAA website and is included in module 5.1 Introduction to the Medical Technology Industry. This module is ideal for those with a general interest in the industry. It is available at no charge from the MTAA website.

MTAA has launched a new online Member Directory. Through this directory more accessible information describing the types of technology members’ offer will be available. The new MTAA member directory features a searchable database by clinical area and medical technologies, as well as provides basic contact details, a company logo and short profile.

The Directory will make it easier for interested parties to seach for companies with products addressing a particular disease state. It will also provide an overview of Australian manufacturers, distributors and company R&D activity.

To access the Directory, please follow this link.

As part of the MTAA MedTech Seminar series, Paul Fitzmaurice, Executive Manager, Corporate and Commercial Operations Ramsay Health Care, will present on Hospital Purchaser Provider Agreements (HPPA) and their impact on access to medical technology.

This seminar will address contracting arrangements between health insurers and hospital operators and the implications for suppliers of medical technology. Discussion points will include:

• contracting arrangements between health insurers and hospital operators if not completely encompassed by HPPA
• the significance of the output of the National Procedure Banding Committee
• implications for suppliers of medical technology
• the optimal way of promoting the uptake of medical technology in hospitals, including the promotion of new technology
• product evaluation/decision making processes behind hospitals’ technology acquisition (including any hospital committee structures)
• considerations regarding non-reimbursable products, such as equipment and consumables
• the future of patient co-payments on medical technology
• the ability of funding mechanisms to produce perverse outcomes.

The event is scheduled for Thursday 14 April 2011, 4.30 - 6.30 pm (includes networking opportunity), at North Shore Private Hospital in Sydney. Registration starts from 4:15 pm.

To register, please follow this link (MTAA Members - $75; Non-members - $150).

MTAA’s annual conference MedTech 2011 will be held on Tuesday 8 November 2011 at Doltone House in Sydney. MedTech 2011 brings together senior industry representatives and key healthcare leaders for a lively debate about key issues and opportunities for the medical technology industry.

More information and registration facilities will be available later in the year. For now, please mark this date in your diary.

Reimbursement training

Course 4.0 Reimbursement of Medical Devices in Australia has been revised. There are now four modules.

• 4.1 Introduction to Reimbursement of Medical Devices in Australia (online)
• 4.2 Achieving a Successful Application for the Prostheses List
• 4.3 Understanding the MSAC Process (new)
• 4.4 Preparing an MSAC Submission (new)

Upcoming Training

For a snapshot of upcoming training, please click here.

• 5.4 The Emotionally Intelligent Leader (9 March, online)
• 1.2 Advanced Review of the Regulation of Medical Technology in Australia (11 March, Sydney)
• 3.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols (1 April, Sydney)
• 5.5 Building Effective Teams (13 April, online)

E-learning

An E-learning brochure is now available from the website, highlighting the many self-paced or live webinar learning opportunities available through MTAA. Please click here to view the brochure.

Contact Details

If you would like to know more about other training opportunities that are available through MTAA, please view the interactive training promotion. For all professional development enquiries, please contact Fiona Shipman, Professional Development Manager by E: reception@mtaa.org.au or P: (+612) 9900 0650.

13th Annual Health Congress

The 13th Annual Health Congress is a three-day event bringing together government representatives and leading experts to discuss the federal and state agenda for healthcare reform. It will be held from 2 - 4 March 2011 in Sydney .

Dr Kylie Maidment, MTAA's Research Manager will present on Innovation & Medical Technology on day 3 of the event. MTAA members will receive a 10% discount on registration. For more information about the program, please follow this link.

3rd Annual National Telemedicine Summit

The 3rd Annual National Telemedicine Summit will be held from 21 - 22 March 2011 at the Sydney Harbour Marriott, Circular Quay. Dr Kylie Maidment, MTAA Research Manager, will present on Reimbursement Strategies for Telemedicine in Australia.

MTAA members will receive a 10% discount on registration. For more information and to register, please follow this link.

Australian Healthcare Summit

With the theme of patient centric healthcare, this two day event from 23 - 24 March 2011 in Sydney features an industry conference focusing on healthcare reform, government policy, public/private collaboration, new initiatives and best practice for improved delivery of health care and positive outcomes. It includes presentations on key issues in the funding, development, management and productive use of Australia's healthcare resources.

MTAA CEO Anne Trimmer will present on Assessing Health Technology on day 2 of the conference. For more information and to register, please follow this link.

eHealth @ CeBit Australia

CeBIT Australia’s eHealth Conference and Exhibition will continue to build on the success of 2010 by bringing together policy makers, healthcare providers, decision makers and end-users in an information exchange and case study showcase for the health sector. The event is scheduled for 1 June 2011 at the Sydney Convention Centre.

For more information, please follow this link.