G'day, health reporter Olivia Willis here bringing you the latest in ABC Health & Wellbeing.
The number of older Australians presenting to emergency departments is steadily increasing.
And data show older people also account for almost half of all public hospital bed days nationally.
It's one of the biggest challenges facing Australia's health system — but a pilot program at one of the country's busiest emergency departments has seen the number of older patients admitted to hospital halve.
The ABC visited St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne to find out how embedding a geriatrician in its emergency department has helped improve care and free up beds.
Meanwhile, across town, a new private hospital has opened, which is owned by doctors and a health insurance company — and charges zero out-of-pocket costs.
As Alan Kohler writes, the hospital is the start of a quiet revolution in Australian healthcare.
In other news this week, a ketamine nasal spray used to treat stubborn forms of depression is set to be subsidised, making treatment cheaper for thousands of Australians.
And there are calls for action in northern Australia as the death toll from melioidosis — a soil-borne disease — hits 28 in Queensland, following more than 200 infections.
I'll catch you next week.
Newsletter feedback? Have a topic you want us to cover? Send us an email.
For all the latest in health, check out our dedicated health page, catch us on Instagram, or browse our Health & Wellbeing collection on ABC iview.
