AHA conducted reviews of the pharmacy, pathology and diagnostic imaging services of the Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS), encompassing both base hospitals and smaller district hospitals.

The diagnostic imaging review involved analysis of the cost, service usage and operations of the medical imaging services at GSAHS including Wagga Wagga/Griffith Medical Imaging, Border Medical Imaging, Goulburn Valley Imaging and Bendigo Radiology. AHA provided advice on the cost-saving and contract options available to each of these services.  We also assisted GSAHS to negotiate a cost effective solution for the provision of quality medical imaging services. Recommendations included service planning, quality programs, human resource management solutions and financial restructuring.

The pathology services review assessed the options available to GSAHS to improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the service.  A range of strategic options were developed and designed to ensure the ongoing provision of a high quality, cost effective, client focused and financially competitive service.

The pharmacy reviews were undertaken to ensure the optimum utilisation of scarce pharmacist resources in rural communities. In order to improve the operational efficiency of the pharmacy department, recommendations were developed that redirect the pharmacists’ activities, from drug ordering and dispensing to clinical drug reviews for patients. Drug wholesalers were contracted to deliver pharmaceutical drugs direct to wards in the larger hospitals or direct to the smaller rural community hospitals.