2023 Conference Program

Strategies to address headwinds

Join us at the Day Hospitals Australia National Conference, which features an intensive 3 day program that will explore innovative strategies and solutions to address headwinds facing the day hospital sector.

The Day Hospitals Australia 2023 National Conference will be held at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane, from Wednesday 30 August to Friday 1 September 2023. Additional speakers and panellists will be added to the following Preliminary Program as they are confirmed.

To receive regular updates email: Aasta.thomson@dayhospitalsaustralia.net.au.

Wednesday 30 August 2023

12:00pm – Registration Desk opens
12:00pm – 7:00pm – Trade Exhibition Hall open
12:30pm – Welcome lunch in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
1:30pm – Start of Day 1 – Peter Rowsthorn, MC	Sponsored by Air Liquide
1:40pm – Official Welcome – A/Prof Philip Truskett AM, Day Hospitals Australia Board Chairperson
1:45pm – Official opening of the Conference – the Hon Ged Kearney, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care (video message)
1:55pm – Panel Discussion – Accreditation & Regulation for the future The Day Hospital sector continues to face ongoing challenges with the current accreditation system which is a one size fits all system for all public and private hospitals irrespective of their scope and associated risks. Presenters in this panel discussion will examine issues day hospitals face with the current system, and the need for a fit for purpose accreditation that reflects the model of care delivered by day hospitals in Australia. Wendy Adams, Independent Consultant, previously an accreditation assessor for the NSQHS Standards Rodney Fox, Day Hospitals Australia (DHA) representative on the ACSQHC Private Sector Committee, and Independent Board Director DHA Helen Rees, Director Private Health Regulation Unit, Queensland Health Marie Sheehan, Principal Consultant, Licensing Sector, WA Department of Health Dr Arnaldo Valedon, international guest speaker, Specialist Anaesthetist, Medical Director of Well Span Health, President Elect of the International Association for Ambulatory Surgery (IAAS) and Board member of the Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC) Chair – Jane Griffiths, CEO, Day Hospitals Australia	Sponsored by Ebos Healthcare
3:00pm – Afternoon Tea in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
3:30pm – Keynote Speaker – Lisa Curry AO Best known for her long and successful swimming career, Lisa Curry AO has competed in three Olympic Games, two World Championships and three Commonwealth Games and her competitive swimming career spanned an awe-inspiring 23 years and saw her ranked in the top 25 swimmers in the world every year she competed. She held Australian and Commonwealth records in every stroke (except backstroke) from 50 – 400mts, a feat no other Australian swimmer has ever achieved. She was also the first swimmer to represent Australia at Commonwealth and Olympic Games as a mother. At the age of 30 with 2 small children, Lisa swam the fastest ever at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and rates this as the highlight of her career.	Sponsored by Macquarie
4:30pm – Panel Discussion – PHI Reforms: helping or hindering day hospitals? The Prostheses List and PHI reforms including Default Benefits, Medicare Levy Surcharge, PHI Rebate, and Lifetime Health Cover are expected to impact both consumers and private hospital operations. There has been a delay in the removal of General Use Items from the Prostheses List until 1 July 2024, requiring the development of an alternate funding mechanism. In this discussion, we analyse the important aspects of these reforms and the impacts these will have on the sector. Scott Bell, COO, Nexus Hospitals Matthew Crane, Associate Director, Health & Human Services, Ernst & Young David Du Plessis, Aller Consulting Dr Ian Irving, Clinical Haematologist, Icon Wesley, Group Medical Director, Icon Group, Director, Icon Group Dr John Napoli, Gastroenterologist, Pennant Hills Gastroenterology Penny Parrish, Director, Prostheses List Reform Taskforce, Australian Government Department of Health Chair – Tegan Taylor, Co-host ABC’s Health Report and Coronacast	Sponsored by Owens & Minor Halyard
5:20pm – Jane Griffiths – CEO, Day Hospitals Australia
5:30 – 7:30pm – Evening Cocktail Reception in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Sponsored by Vitramed

Thursday 31 August 2023

8:00am – Registration opens
8:00am – 5:00pm – Trade Exhibition Hall open
8:15am – NSW / ACT Chapter Meeting (NSW and ACT members of Day Hospitals Australia only)
9:00am – Start of Day 2 – Peter Rowsthorn, MC	Sponsored by Air Liquide
9:10am – Keynote Speaker – Dr Denise Quinlan – co-founder of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience Dr Denise Quinlan brings research to life. She’s ‘real not perfect’, sharing the challenges of being a ‘recovering pessimist’ and a well-being authority. A global researcher and teacher to leading corporates and educators, she translates the latest science to practical tools and strategies we can all benefit from.
10:15am – Morning Tea in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
10:45am – Panel Discussion – Workforce Challenges Healthcare services are facing ongoing challenges with their workforce, with staff shortages and difficulties with finding new and experienced dedicated staff. Panellists in this session will provide strategies for staff recruitment including opportunities such as student and graduate placements and ongoing training, mentoring and retention of staff. Michelle Bibby, Infection Control Consultant, Manager of Day Hospitals Australia 2022 University Project Natalie Dzenis, Talent Acquisition Manager, Nexus Hospitals Dr Melanie Greenwood, Associate Professor, Associate Head Learning and Teaching, School of Nursing, University of Tasmania Jamie Mann-Farrar, Managing Director, Health Service Assist Group, Adjunct Associate Professor of Nursing University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Adjunct Associate Professor of Nursing, Central Queensland University Eva Naidoo, General Manager / Director of Nursing, Kogarah Private Hospital Chair – Tegan Taylor, Co-host ABC’s Health Report and Coronacast	Sponsored by Olympus
11:50am – Presentation – David du Plessis, Aller Consulting – Thoughts and Reflections on Private Health Insurance David du Plessis is the Founding Director of Aller Consulting and has diverse executive and senior management experience in Private Health Insurance, Private Hospitals and Aged and Community Care. In this session, David will provide insights into trends in the Private Health Insurance sector in Australia.
12:30pm – Networking Lunch in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
1:30pm – Panel Discussion – Inflationary pressures – finding the balance With Australia experiencing inflations rate of over 7%, the highest seen in over 30 years, the cost of delivering safe and quality healthcare is increasing. In this session, panellists will provide insights into the impacts inflation is having on their businesses, tips for procurement and strategies to reduce operational costs. Brendan Flanagan, Private Banker, Macquarie Andy Hansen, Sales Director, Medline Michael Hleis, Managing Director, Optimed Technologies Alex Konstandinidis, Strategic Finance Business Partner, Tier One Advisory Aramik Tahmasian, General Manager, EBOS Healthcare Chair: Rachel Hart, Commercial Director, Nexus Hospitals
2:30pm – Panel Discussion – Private Health Insurance Contracting: advancing or diminishing day hospitals? Panellists in this session will discuss the issues day hospitals face with current contracting practices by Private Health Insurers which is surprising when day hospitals offer quality, efficient and cost effective care. Simon Coupe, Business Consultant Judith Day, Director, Healthcare Management & Partnerships, Bupa David Du Plessis, Director, Aller Consulting Milosh Milisavljevic, Group Executive, Customer Portfolios, Medibank Andrew Sando, CEO, Australian Health Service Alliance (AHSA) Chair: Scott Bell, COO, Nexus Hospitals
3:30pm – Afternoon Tea in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
4:00pm – Round Table Discussions – Challenging Issues for Day Hospitals In this session, delegates will be broken into groups to discuss and brainstorm solutions for issues impacting the Day hospital sector.
5:00pm – End of Day 2
7:00 – 11:00pm – Conference Dinner – Ballroom, Victoria Park	Sponsored by Air Liquide

Friday 1 September 2023

8:00am – Networking Breakfast in the Trade Exhibition Hall – Come along for your chance to win our Lucky Door Prize valued at $500 thanks to CPG	Sponsored by CPG
8:00am – 11:20am – Trade Exhibition Hall open
9:00am – Start of Day 3 – Peter Rowsthorn, MC	Sponsored by Air Liquide
9:10am – Presentation – Dr Arnaldo Valedon – Status of Ambulatory Surgery in the US – insights and advancements Dr Arnaldo Valedon, International guest speaker, Specialist Anaesthetist, Medical Director of Well Span Health, President Elect of IAAS and Board member of the AAAHC will provide insights into trends and advancements in the US Ambulatory Sector.
9:40am – Panel Discussion – Collaborating with VMOs The day hospital sector provides safe, quality and cost-effective health care; but is often underutilised by VMOs. In this session, panellists will discuss strategies to engage with Specialists to increase patient services and procedures in the day hospital sector, and collaborative solutions to achieve innovative care and sustainability of the Australian healthcare system. Nicola Ivory, Head of Partnerships, Amplar Health Michael Johnson, Vice President, Australian Orthopaedic Association Dominic de Souza, Medical Specialist Engagement Manager, Medibank Luke Toy, General Manager Advocacy AMA Dr Arnaldo Valedon, international guest speaker, Specialist Anaesthetist, Medical Director of Well Span Health, President Elect of IAAS and Board member of the AAAHC Chair – A/Prof Philip Truskett AM, Day Hospitals Australia Board Chairperson
10:40am – Morning Tea & Prize Draw in the Trade Exhibition Hall	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
11:20am – Presentation by Winners of the Day Hospitals Australia Poster Competition	Sponsored by Prospitalia H-Track
11:50am – Keynote Speakers – Dr Gareth Andrews and Dr Richard Stephenson – The Last Great First Expedition Dr Gareth Andrews is a Consultant Anaesthetist at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney and Dr Richard Stephenson is a Consultant Emergency Physician in Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island. Gareth and Richard have a passion of adventure and exploration that spans many years. They have had the privilege of being involved with several successful expeditions through harsh and unforgiving environments. Their inspiring stories of overcoming challenges and exploring beautiful, natural wilderness areas give us an insight into why these adventurers continue to pursue their dreams. They have most recently completed a Full Unsupported South Pole Ski Expedition of 1404km in 66 days in Antarctica.
1:00pm – Conference Wrap Up – Jane Griffiths, CEO, Day Hospitals Australia
1:15pm – Official Conference Close
1:30pm – Pack and Go lunch served for delegates	Catering Sponsor Surgical Order
1:45pm – 5:00pm – Optional Day Hospital Site visits to Herston Private Hospital & Westside Private Hospital – click here for further information

All times and speakers are subject to change