New report shows more than 40% of Australians believe the healthcare system isn't doing enough to ensure access to new medical technologies that could improve care or efficiency for Australians.
Edelman on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Medtech
New report shows more than 40% of Australians believe the healthcare system isn’t doing enough to ensure access to new medical technologies that could improve care or efficiency for Australians.
- Medical Technology innovation has revolutionised treatment options for the more than 500,000 Australians living with Atrial Fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrythmia.
-Treatment options for AF have evolved from lifelong medication being the only option to catheter ablation providing an option to restore the heart to sinus rhythm in a single procedure.
- Many AF patients who are clinically eligible and appropriate for catheter ablation face barriers in accessing this procedure.
Sydney, NSW - October 28, 2025 - Today, Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in cardiovascular, orthopaedic, surgery and vision solutions, released a new research study Australians on Medical Technology and the Future of Healthcare 2025, which shows a disconnect between the Medtech innovation Australians believe they can access with private health insurance, and what they can actually access today. The nationally representative survey (conducted between August–September 2025) shows Australians see medical technology as key to improving healthcare outcomes but more than 40% say the healthcare system is falling short in delivering Medtech that could improve care or efficiency for Australians. The survey also reveals that 86% of Australians assume private health insurance provides equal or greater access to the latest Medtech and 44% would see less value in their private health insurance if the latest technologies were available in public, but not private, hospitals.
“The research shows that Australians believe access to Medtech innovation is fundamental to our world-class healthcare system”, said Sarah Najdek, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Johnson & Johnson MedTech. “Hospitals are investing in Medtech innovation, such as robotic-assisted solutions designed to support outcomes and efficiency. However the process for listing medical devices on the Prescribed List of Medical Devices and Human Tissues Products, which determines which products private health insurers must pay benefits for, can mean that in some areas Australians seeking care in private hospitals can face significant delays in accessing the latest Medtech sometimes waiting years after patients in public hospitals have received these innovations.
The quality of the healthcare system is a top three priority for Australians, behind the cost of living in general and rivalling housing affordability concerns.1 Confidence in the healthcare system is fragile: fewer than half of Australians feel optimistic about the future of healthcare, and optimism falls even lower in regional communities and for those without private health insurance.
Why Medical Technology innovation matters
Medical Technology innovation has revolutionised treatment options for people living with Atrial Fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrythmia. Treatment options for AF have evolved from lifelong medication being the only option to catheter ablation providing a new standard of care to restore the heart to sinus rhythm in a single procedure. While not all AF patients are clinically eligible for catheter ablation, many who are still face barriers in accessing this procedure. Of the more than 500,000 Australians with AF, less than 10,000 AF patients per year have received catheter ablation in Australia over the past 5 years.
For Jim Harrington, 67, this issue is personal. Jim is an active husband, father, and grandfather. A recently retired professional quantity surveyor, he helped plan the construction of the Victorian Heart Hospital - never expecting he would return years later as a patient.
In the seven years since Jim was diagnosed with AF he lived with debilitating symptoms and anxiety knowing that his chance of stroke, mortality from stroke, and heart failure was dramatically increased as an AF sufferer. His AF was unable to be
effectively controlled with medication and he eventually decided with his healthcare provider to undertake a catheter ablation procedure to treat his AF. Jim was one of the first patients in Australia to have treatment with the VARIPULSETM Pulsed Field Ablation System and has had a very successful outcome restoring his heart rate to sinus rhythm.
Dr Emily Kotschet, Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Victorian Heart Hospital, said of her patient “Jim is a great example of Medical Technology innovation making treatment options available to more patients. Since catheter ablation was introduced, the technology has evolved a lot making a procedure that once took several hours only take 20-30 minutes. Given some other health issues that Jim has I would not have recommended catheter ablation when it was first available as a procedure of that length would not have been appropriate for him, but because of medical technology innovation he now has a suitable catheter ablation treatment option and has had a fantastic outcome. In addition to the patient impact of this improved procedure efficiency it means that I am able to undertake more procedures in an operating list which is critical when meeting increasing patient volumes.”
Following his procedure Jim had the opportunity to virtually meet some of the Johnson & Johnson Research and Development team who were involved in the early stages of VARIPULSETM development. “It was very impactful to be able to thank the team who started work on development of this technology many years ago. I had not previously reflected on all the work that goes into creating medical technology to help patients like me. I’m very grateful I was able to quickly access this Medical Technology once I had made the decision to go ahead with the procedure,” said Jim.
Jim’s attitude regarding the importance of access to the latest medical technology is mirrored in the survey responses with more than 85% of Australians considering it important to have timely access to the latest doctor-recommended medical technology if they are someone they know was diagnosed with AF. “This has changed my life, I’m now heading off on a three-week overseas holiday with my wife that we have been delaying since I was diagnosed with AF,” said Jim.
Barriers to access
“There are many barriers for people living with Atrial Fibrillation accessing appropriate treatment. These include barriers to diagnosis, specialist care, and then geographical, wait list, and out-of-pocket cost barriers to treatment” said Tanya Hall, CEO, Hearts4Heart patient advocacy organisation. “Additionally in the private sector there is a cap on the total cost payable for a catheter ablation procedure through the prescribed list which has not changed since 2019 – despite many additional forms of innovation becoming available for use in a procedure during that time.”
Concern regarding access is reflected in the research with 1-in-5 Australians not confident that they can access the care they need when they need it. For those in an outer regional or remote area only 50% are confident they can access the care they need when they need it.
“Unfortunately that heightened concern among those located away from metropolitan cities is not unfounded,” says Dr Emily Kotschet, “I see this in my own regional practice where patients have often had a long path to diagnosis and specialist referral and may end up travelling away from their local area for treatment due to there not being catheter ablation treatment available in their area or being subject to extensive waitlists.”
Healthcare system solution
The stability and success of Australia’s Healthcare System relies upon a thriving public and private sector. 86% of Australians assume that private healthcare provides equal, if not greater, access to the latest MedTech and 44% would see less value in private health insurance if the latest Medtech were available in public, but not private, hospitals.
"As a healthcare leader, understanding Australians' needs is essential, which led Johnson & Johnson to commission this unique research," said Sarah Najdek, "The findings underscore the value Australians place on Medtech innovation for efficiency and outcomes. The data shows that many Australians see access to the latest Medtech as fundamental to the value of private health insurance.”
Sarah Najdek said “We are calling upon industry and government stakeholders to work together to ensure all Australians have the timely access they need and expect of Medtech innovations listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), thereby protecting patient and clinician choice.”
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About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more about our MedTech sector’s global scale and deep expertise in cardiovascular, orthopaedics, surgery and vision solutions at https://thenext.jnjmedtech.com. Follow us at @JNJMedTech and on LinkedIn.
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