strengthening public primary and community care would also result in fewer selfreferrals to hospital emergency departments for minor ailments and conditions where treatment costs are much higher finally managing chronic conditions better within primary care settings would contribute towards preventing deterioration and the need for hospital care for example gps and private family doctors linked in to the myhealth system are now able to make referrals for services that could previously only be requested by hospital specialists additionally the range of services provided in primary care has been expanded to include for example chronic disease management clinics and healthy lifestyle clinics