Australian Patient Advocacy Alliance Summit – March 3rd 2026

Catherine Kruljac, President of PCD Australia, attended the APAA Summit in Canberra, today, March 3rd 2026, joining patient advocacy groups, healthcare leaders, and policymakers from across the country.

The first day of the summit featured a range of insightful presentations and discussions on key national health priorities, with guest speakers including Mark Butler, Mike Freelander, and Monique Ryan.

A National Conversation on Healthcare Reform

The summit brought together diverse voices to explore the most pressing challenges facing Australians living with chronic and complex conditions. Key topics included:

• Patient access to care
• Health system reform
• Medicine availability and approval pathways
• Digital health and innovation
• The role of patient advocacy in shaping policy

Across all discussions, there was a strong focus on improving patient experience, equity, and long-term health outcomes.

The Importance of Lived Experience

A recurring theme throughout the summit was the importance of lived experience in healthcare design and policy.

Patients often face significant but less visible impacts of chronic illness, including:

• Loss of identity
• Disruption to education and employment
• Financial stress and burden on families

There was strong recognition that these experiences must be better understood and embedded into decision-making processes. Advocacy organisations play a critical role in ensuring patient voices are heard and reflected in healthcare reform.

Key Challenges Highlighted

Several systemic challenges were identified:

• Rising rates of chronic disease across Australia
• Inequitable access to care, particularly in rural and regional communities
• Medicine shortages and delays in accessing new treatments
• Fragmented healthcare systems and short-term funding models
• Financial barriers that prevent people from seeking or continuing care

These issues continue to impact patient outcomes and highlight the need for coordinated, national approaches.

A Shift Towards Preventative, Patient-Centred Care

There was broad agreement that Australia must move beyond a reactive “sick care” model towards a more preventative, patient-centred system.

This includes:

• Earlier diagnosis and intervention
• Better coordination across care providers
• Long-term, outcomes-focused healthcare planning

Innovation and the Role of Technology

Speakers also explored the growing role of digital health and artificial intelligence in improving healthcare delivery.

While these technologies offer significant opportunities—particularly in diagnosis, monitoring, and efficiency—there was clear consensus that implementation must include:

• Strong governance and oversight
• Transparency in decision-making
• Ongoing involvement of patients and clinicians

Opportunities for Reform

The summit highlighted several priority areas for policy and system improvement:

• Strengthening Medicare access
• Enhancing chronic disease frameworks
• Accelerating medicine approval pathways
• Addressing ongoing medicine shortages
• Developing nationally consistent patient support systems (including travel assistance for specialist care)

Looking Ahead

The overarching message from the summit was clear:

Australia has a strong healthcare foundation, but meaningful progress will depend on patient-led advocacy, collaboration across sectors, improved data, and a commitment to equity—ensuring that access to care is not determined by postcode, income, or circumstance.