Hospital
An Unhealthy Business
Synopsis:
This documentary investigates a public hospital's struggle for economic survival. It weaves the story of administration at St. Vincent's hospital in Melbourne, Australia and their attempts to bring in a balanced budget, together with the stories of three patients whose care might be jeopardised by the pressure to cut spending and increase patient throughput.
Hospital staff at St. Vincent's push themselves to the limit to minimise the effects of budget problems on their patients. Debates rage, tension mounts and the budget problem starts to take its toll. Will their efforts be in vain?
The crisis facing St. Vincent's, like public hospitals all over Australia, is that they are being forced to prioritise those services that are the most cost-effective. With this kind of financial philosophy at work, will health care itself become the main casualty?
Credits:
A Film Australia Production
in association with December Films
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