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38 Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Private Hospitals: Working Together for the Benefit of Veterans The Medical Technology Association of Australia (together with its New Zealand sister association, MIANZ) has had a Code of Practice since September 2001. The Code was substantially revised in 2005, and with the Code now nearing the end of its second year of operation it has again been reviewed with the 3rd edition of the Code to be put to members for adoption in the first part of 2008. The launch of the 3rd edition of the Code this year will be followed by an extensive education program, both with industry and with the healthcare sector with whom industry works very closely to ensure all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the Code and its implications. There is a high level of public scrutiny of industry behaviour (which has been highlighted more recently in articles in The Age newspaper about company relationships with the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Melbourne) and MTAA takes the maintenance of integrity seriously. The elements of the Code that hospitals and healthcare professionals need to be aware of are focused on: • Claims and endorsements in advertising material • Provision of product training and education by industry • Sponsorship of, and grants for, third party educational conferences • Hospitality for healthcare professionals • Consultancy arrangements with healthcare professionals. Claims and endorsements in advertising material As very few products are marketed directly to consumers, most advertising material is directed to healthcare professionals. A company must be able to substantiate a claim that it makes in an advertisement. It may only make claims that are consistent with the intended purpose of the product as listed with the regulator (the Therapeutic Goods Administration). It is also not permitted to use the name or photograph of a healthcare professional without consent or in a way that is contrary to the ethical guidelines of the relevant professional association. Provision of product training and education by industry One of the characteristics of medical technologies is that further research and development on a product is often as the result of feedback from the clinicians who use the products, thereby creating a very symbiotic relationship between industry and clinicians. Companies provide considerable training in their products to ensure that clinicians are able to make best use of them. The Code acknowledges the need for this type of training and sets out the guidelines within which it may occur. In general, the training must be conducted in appropriate training facilities and any hospitality provided to the healthcare professional must be modest in value and subordinate in time and focus. A company may pay for reasonable travel and accommodation costs incurred in attending the training. Sponsorship of, and grants for, third party educational conferences One of the most vexed areas is sponsorship of attendance at professional conferences in Australia and overseas. There is benefit to a company in having a healthcare professional present at a conference on his or her experience with a procedure or product. There is also a broader educative benefit to the healthcare sector in attendance at a conference by a healthcare professional or trainee. However in order to ensure transparency in the relationship between the healthcare professional and a company, the Code does not permit direct payment to a healthcare professional of the costs of travel and attendance. Private Hospital - April 2008 The Code permits the payment of a grant or sponsorship to the organiser of the conference (usually a professional association or training institution) to enable funding of attendance, provided the conference organiser selects the recipient. Alternatively a company may make a grant to an educational institution for medical education which may be applied by that institution in meeting the cost of a healthcare professional to attend an educational conference. Hospitality for healthcare professionals The Code permits companies to provide hospitality to healthcare professionals in limited circumstances - by sponsorship of hospitality at a third party conference and by provision of hospitality as a subsidiary part of product training. The key requirements are that the hospitality is subordinate in time and value to the overall proceedings. Consultancy arrangements with healthcare professionals For reasons mentioned earlier, there is a very
“ One of the most vexed areas is sponsorship of attendance at professional conferences in Australia and overseas. There is benefit to a company in having a healthcare professional present at a conference on his or her experience with a procedure or product.“ close and ongoing working relationship between medical technology companies and healthcare professionals. It is common for companies to retain a healthcare professional on contract as a consultant to provide advice, research or consulting services, or to serve on an advisory board. The Code permits such an arrangement provided that any compensation is consistent with fair market value for the services provided, selection is based on the qualifications and expertise of the consultant and not on volume or value of business generated, and the arrangements are well-documented. The Code is a voluntary Code and while binding on members of MTAA and MIANZ is advisory only for non-member medical Private Hospital - April 2008 39 technology companies. MTAA would like to see all companies working in the industry adhere to its principles for the benefit of all. The Code includes a comprehensive complaints process - a complaint may be brought by a range of interested persons, including a healthcare professional. MTAA will be writing to private hospitals over the next few months to provide further information about the Code and will also be providing training on the code to industry. If you would like more information on the Code please feel free to contact MTAA. by Anne Trimmer Chief Executive Officer, Medical Technology Association of Australia
Page 1 and 2: April 2008 • Policy Patter PLUS..
Page 3: Private Hospital - April 2008 3
Page 7 and 8: Regulars 18 Michael Roff - As I see
Page 9 and 10: Editors Letter Welcome to the April
Page 11 and 12: While many service men and women we
Page 13 and 14: Greenslopes: Providing for the Vete
Page 15 and 16: Seminar Programs Both seminars feat
Page 17 and 18: A Focus on Veterans - It’s All in
Page 20 and 21: 20 Sydney Convention & Exhibition C
Page 22 and 23: 22 Interview - George Toemoe Inform
Page 24 and 25: 24 Healthcare and medical workers d
Page 26 and 27: 26 quality in focus... with Christi
Page 28: Advertorial Access the latest equip
Page 31 and 32: National Health and Hospitals Refor
Page 33 and 34: Private Hospital - April 2008 33
Page 40: 40 mental health forum... Veterans
Page 46: Advertorial
Page 51 and 52: Private Hospital - April 2008 Nearl
Page 54 and 55: 54 Latest Data from PHIAC The Priva
Page 56: 56 Health Privacy - Everything You
Page 60: MABEL - Improving the working life
Page 66 and 67: 66 An ‘EMU’ up and running at S
Page 68 and 69: 68 Annual licence renewal period fo
Page 70 and 71: 70 Courses and Conferences The 5th
Page 72: Advertorial
Page 77: More brain research suggests “use
Page 80 and 81: 80 Private Hospital - April 2008
Page 82 and 83: 82 on the ground... ... with Gail R
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84 Private Hospital - April 2008
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