The 2009 Conference was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and lived up to the very high standards set over the past ten years. The conference provided a great forum for the presentation of the latest research in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the opportunity to receive updates from key international speakers about developments in other parts of the world and the opportunity to hear from and exchange views with policy makers.
This year’s theme ‘Health Services Research – Reforming, Responding, Rewarding’ reflected the fact that in Australia we have seen the Health and Hospitals Reform Commission’s final report, together with proposals for the future of both primary and preventive health services. And in New Zealand, incremental change and innovation continues apace, while memories of earlier radical restructuring and subsequent reform fatigue still lingers.
The 2009 conference saw an exceptional group of international visitors headed by James Marone, Professor of Political Science at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. James lived up to his reputation as an entertaining speaker and an original thinker and kicked the event off with a thought provoking look at healthcare and politics in the United States. His new book, the Heart of Power: Health and Politics in the Oval Office from Roosevelt to Bush and an earlier publication Hellfire Nation: The Politics of Sin in American Society (2003) which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction, were in huge demand from the Co-op Bookshop who had a stand at the event.
Andrew Bazemore, the second keynote speaker was sponsored by the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, Andrew is the Assistant Director of the Robert Graham Center in Washington, DC and a leading researcher in primary health care and under-served populations. The third keynote international speaker was Gert Westert, Professor of Health Services Research at Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Gert led the team which produced the Dutch Health Care Performance Report in 2006 and 2008 and he outlined how the Dutch, currently the most reformist health system, are doing health reform.
International Keynote Speakers: Andrew Bazemore , Jame Marone and Gert Westert
There was also a great line up of speakers from Australia and New Zealand and a range of special sessions, including one on Harkness Fellowships in Health Policy and Practice sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund and special sessions and workshops for early career researchers, including a presentation from the NHMRC on grant and fellowship opportunities and developing an HSR career, and new activities for corporate members. The innovate approach to the presentation of posters, which allowed poster presenters an opportunity to talk on their research for 5 minutes, was well received.
The Association was also very lucky to have the Hon Paul Lucas MP, Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for Health speak at the Welcome Reception on 25 November.
And an excellent Conference Dinner was held at the picturesque Customs House.
There was a great atmosphere at this year's conference, which was attended by over 250 delegates and a strong feeling that the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand. (which was an initiative that grew from the very fist conference) has come of age and that there is now a very strong and vibrant health services research community in Australia and New Zealand. The Association is looking forward to a very busy and successful two years, in the lead up to the next conference, which will be held in Adelaide in late 2011.
To view photographs from the conference go to http://www.hsraanz.org/Events/Photographs.aspx
For more information visit http://www.healthservicesconference.com.au
Final handbook.pdf
PHCRIS conference report.