Senior Advisor, Mathematical/Statistical Analysis
Independent Hospital Pricing Authority
Closing date: 26th May 2013
Executive Level 2 ($110,236 - $130,514 + Superannuation)
For mathematicians or statisticians looking for a real intellectual challenge!
The Organisation
In 2011, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to introduce activity based funding (ABF) on a national basis to determine the level of funding for Australia’s public hospitals. The National Efficient Price (NEP) was conceived as the central mechanism to drive the implementation of ABF in the pricing of public hospital services. The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) was created as the key independent organisation responsible to COAG, to determine the National Efficient Price and drive the development of the required classification and costing systems. IHPA needs mathematicians and statisticians to help analyse and model the costing data to determine the National Efficient Price.
The Challenge
The real challenge is for clear logical thinking that can translate into clear logical modelling that can withstand close scrutiny by the many stakeholders in state and territory hospital systems.
Comprehensive costing and activity data is extracted from hospital information systems on more than 20 million patients receiving services from the 700 public hospitals around Australia. The hospital services provided to these patients are differentiated into about 5,000 cost categories to determine an appropriate price to attach to each particular hospital service. Complex SAS analysis and modelling techniques are required to analyse these data obtained from a number of different large data files. Effectively the large files need to be joined at the patient level and analysed in terms of the costs associated with patients with similar characteristics, so as to determine the appropriate price structure to be applied to all the different types of services supplied by public hospitals.
Transparency is a key requirement for all the ABF processes. All Governments need to understand how the NEP prices are calculated. The challenging analysis and modelling processes undertaken by the cost modelling team therefore have to be completed in a logical and coherent way so that the modelling can be shared with the hospital system managers in the States and Territories. That is, there has to be an integrity and clarity to the analysis that is trusted by all stakeholders.
The Person
- A strong theoretical background in mathematics and/or statistics is required to lead a team of mathematical and/or statistical analysts.
- Post graduate achievements in these or associated fields would be a definite advantage.
- Demonstrated capability to work with large data files and complex analysis is essential.
- A clear and logical approach to problem solving and modelling is also essential.
- A highly-developed capacity to direct and articulate detailed analysis and modelling needs to be demonstrated.
- Of central importance is a demonstrated attention to detail and a well-developed habit to self-check the results of the analysis as it progresses.
- Experience in the health sector or similar welfare sector would be an advantage.
To view the position description and for details on how to apply, visit http://www.ihpa.gov.au and click on `Careers'. Applicants are required to address the selection criteria included in the position description.
For further information regarding this position, please contact Bruce Cutting, 02 8215 1140.
**Mention you saw it on the AustMS website**