Save the Date - MTAA 2018 Annual Conference

The next MedTech Annual Conference will be held:

DATE:     7th & 8th November 2018

VENUE:  Luna Park Sydney

Mark the dates in your diary to attend the MedTech industry event of the year!

Value-Based Healthcare Summit

In the global struggle to manage the cost of healthcare, practitioners and policymakers are increasingly focusing on value—delivering the best possible health outcomes at a given level of cost. The shift is happening in different ways and at different rates around the world.

The system differs from a fee-for-service model where the focus is on volume of care to rewarding healthcare providers based on the value of care and whether they help patients achieve important improvements in their health, reduce the effects and incidence of chronic disease and live healthier lives.

The Value-Based Healthcare model has been embraced by the US & European healthcare markets but its adoption in Australia is ad hock and in its infancy. 

The Summit will focus on the challenges and opportunities for the MedTech industry as purchasers of healthcare in Australia commence implementing payment systems based on value rather than volume.   

The program, speakers and cost of tickets for members and non-members will be available shortly.

MTAA will be holding a Value Based Healthcare Summit on:

DATE: 24th April 2018

VENUE: Medtronic, 5 Alma Road, North Ryde, NSW

TIME: 9am-5pm

The Value Based Healthcare Summit will have a mixture of keynotes, presentations, and panels.

For event inquiries please contact MTAA Events & Engagement Manager Jennifer Ellis.

New Digital Platform to launch this year

MTAA is developing a digital platform as part of an initiative to better engage with industry, government and the public. A key component of the digital platform will be the production and distribution of industry positive insights, news and information.

If you have any questions, would like to know more or would like to contribute please contact MTAA Communications & Government Affairs Manager Polo Guibert-Wright.

Are your OTP standards up to date?

New Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols courses have been announced for Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane for 2018. Get ahead of the queue and book early!

1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols 9 February 2018, Melbourne
1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols 23 February 2018, Sydney *Limited Places
1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols 27 February 2018, Brisbane *Limited Places

What to expect from federal politics in 2018

With two weeks before the first sitting period of the year, we look at what we can expect from 2018 in federal politics. More of the same? Probably.

The latest Essential polling shows virtually no change in party support over the summer, with Federal Labor still ahead in the 2 Party Preferred stakes by 53 to 47. The primary vote has also not changed with Labor on 38, the Coalition on 37.

Former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally will replace Senator Sam Dastyari in the Senate, meanwhile north of the border a contest is under way in Queensland to replace Senator George Brandis, who is heading to London to be Australia’s next High Commissioner.

This year will continue to be plagued by dual-citizen chaos with both Senator Katy Gallagher, David Feeney MP and several others cases still unresolved by the High Court. If David Feeney MP can’t provide any evidence of his UK citizenship being renounced it will result in a by-election in Batman, which is likely to see the once safe Labor seat fall to the Greens.

Meanwhile, Senator Pauline Hanson will ask the Senate to refer Fraser Anning to the High Court in a bid to retain his seat for the party. Anning began a process last week to officially quit One Nation and become an independent. The party is concerned the senator is being courted by the Nationals. And Fairfax reports the government has officially backed a Tasmanian mayor to replace Jacqui Lambie in the Senate, potentially frustrating Pauline Hanson's plan to seize a fourth seat for One Nation.

Add to this South Australia goes to the polls in March which could see SA Best, Nick Xenophon who is more popular with South Australian voters than either the Labor or Liberal parties, and almost half of the state's voters want the former senator to be their next premier, according to Newspoll.

Speculation continues we could have the next federal election sometimes between August and October this year ahead of a series of state elections in 2018 and early 2019, the dates of which have already been fixed.

This means we could see new MPs and Senators in 2018 before we head to another federal election making chaos and uncertainly the new norm.

Health fund premiums to rise by twice the inflation rate again

Minister for Health Greg Hunt MP announced during a press conference:

“The early guidance is that that is likely to be an approximately 3.9 per cent change. We will know more once the analysis has been done and all of the information has been received. But that’s the early guidance.”

This would represent a 0.9% reduction from last year premium round which saw the average increase by 4.84%. As an industry we’ve always maintained Prostheses List reform will deliver private health insurance (PHI) a one off marginal premium reduction, which is exactly what appears to be happening.

Media coverage has covered the announcement as families being hit with a health premium rise double the rate of inflation, which adds around $200 a year to a family’s health insurance bills.

MTAA predicted this back in November

Meanwhile, we are seeing a new battlefront being drawn between PHI and out-of-pocket costs associated with medical professional fees. Health Minister Greg Hunt has committed to working with doctors and surgeons to try to tackle the problem of so-called "bill shock," where private health insurance patients are slugged with unexpectedly high out-of-pocket expenses after a consultation or procedure.

Most doctor visits in Australia are bulk-billed, and doctors say any blame for unexpectedly high medical expenses should be pinned on private health insurers, not practitioners. But Mr Hunt says he is taking advice on the "best model" to help patients find more information on out-of-pocket costs.

Expect this issue to dominate 2018.

Clinical Trials for Medical Devices

MTAA has published an online resource Clinical Trials for Medical Devices – The Basics, developed to help enage SME companies and individuals to understand the value and purpose of clinical trials specifically for medical devices.

Clinical trials generate the evidence to enable marketing of safe and effective medical devices in Australia. Trials or investigations may also enable clinically and cost-effective interventions and technologies to be assessed and funded. 

The online resource also highlights the different types of studies a medical device can undertake as well as links to further information and resources pertaining to conducting a study.

MTAA has further spearheaded the development of clinical research agreements for commercially-sponsored studies of medical technology. 

Previously, companies had to use a suite of agreements developed primarily for the pharmaceutical industry that was not always suitable to cater to the needs of the medical technology industry. 

In 2017 a new standard form agreement "The MTAA Standard Clinical Investigations Research Agreement" was developed in conjunction with the South-Eastern Border States (SEBS) approval authority encompassing the NSW Ministry of Health.

The online resource Clinical Trials for Medical Devices - The Basics, as well as the template clinical research agreements for medical devices are available for download from the MTAA website.

Secondary Use of My Health Record Data

The Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) welcomed the opportunity to make a submission to inform the Department of Health regarding the “Development of a Framework for Secondary Use of My Health Record Data” in December 2017.

MTAA is of the view that there are significant benefits to the healthcare system arising from the secondary use of MyHR data and notes that several OECD countries, including France, Belgium, the UK and the US have already recognised the benefits of the secondary use of personal health data for research to improve patient care and health system performance.

The secondary use of MyHR data can support the implementation of value-based healthcare as it can:

• Inform a patient centric model of care.
• Reward the value, rather than the volume, of healthcare interventions to manage healthcare costs.
• Improve patient outcomes through allowing the identification of valuable medical interventions and informing best practice.
• Capture data on outcomes that are important to patients.
• MyHR data can also improve Australia’s capacity to conduct clinical trials.

Given the above benefits, the framework being established by Government on the secondary use of MyHR data should ensure there is a balance between the capacity to access the data for valid uses that will progress healthcare in Australia and the need to maintain data security and individual privacy.

Earn your regulatory affairs qualification online in 6-12 months

Developed by industry experts, the University of Wollongong’s Graduate Certificate in Regulatory Science is an online course that will give you the qualification you need as a regulatory affairs specialist.

This course, which can be completed in 6 or 12 months, will help you:

• Build a portfolio of practical experience in navigating regulatory frameworks that you can apply at your firm.
• Get industry-focused applied course content, delivered by industry experts.
• Understand how quality management systems can generate competitive advantage for your firm.
• Get ahead of the potential industry changes to regulations, which may require university qualifications.

UOW has government subsidised places available for domestic students studying this course (see Commonwealth Supported Places).

Enquire and apply online now, starts 26 February 2018.

NSW Medical Devices Fund 2018-19

The Medical Devices Fund (MDF) is a competitive technology development and commercialisation program. In the 2018-2019 financial year the Fund has over $8 million available to help support investment in the development and commercialisation of medical devices and related technologies.

All applicants are required to complete the online self-assessment survey online prior to submitting a preliminary application form.

To find out more about the MDF application process and guidelines, please visit the NSW Department of Health website.

3 ways the medical device industry could evolve in 2018

EY released its 2017 M&A Firepower Report: Life sciences deals and data which analyses three life sciences subsectors: biopharma, biotechnology and medical devices.

Here’s are the three aspects identified when it comes to the medical device industry:

1. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) are not going away.
2. More investment in long-term Research & Development (R&D) and Innovation.
3. Continued evolution toward new business models such as Value Based Healthcare.