Governor officially opens AMA National Conference
The Governor of Victoria, John Landy, today officially opened the Australian Medical Association's National Conference, praising doctors for their dedication and commitment in the face of mounting pressures.
Addressing more than 250 AMA delegates and international guests, Mr Landy said Australia's health care system was in a period of significant change - both positive and negative.
Mr Landy referred to the increasing use of information technology in hospitals and clinics as a powerful tool for good.
"What a difference this will make to people living in remote regions of Australia."
The Governor said targetted public health campaigns played an increasingly important role in modern day health policy.
"Today we are surrounded by messages about men's health, women's health, aged health and rural health. All of these aspects of health care have to be incorporated into the larger health policy collage. There has been a greater emphasis on prevention of smoking in recent times. Although this has been a great success, it is of major concern that teenage girls are still the biggest demographic group taking up the habit.
"The pleasant result of all of these advances is that we are all likely to live longer and are happy to be doing so. The downside is an increasing demand on doctors, nursing staff and associated professionals and carers within the aged care system. And this is accelerating. Before there is any sign of a plateau emerging, it will be at least 2030," Mr Landy said.
"One doctor in an affluent suburb told me this week that the most common disease he diagnoses in his clinic for males between 15 and 30 is heroin addiction.
"That makes me feel very sad but thankful to all of you who have chosen medicine as your profession and for the dedication you give to it to better the most valuable feature of human life - which is health," the Governor said.
AMA Federal President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, said the AMA's National Conference had the potential to make a significant impact on the future of the medical profession and the future of the health system.
"Over the next three days we will b e engaged in debate and policy development on issues such as public hospital funding, models for alternatives to acute care, Indigenous health,
professional indemnity and other options to the current adversarial system, as well as complementary medicine.
"This conference will be about setting the pace for change, because change is upon us in many senses," Dr Phelps said.
The AMA National Conference 2001 will be held from 25-27 May at the Sheraton Towers Southgate in Melbourne.
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761
Sarah Bucknell (02) 6270 5472 / (0419) 440 076