South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill is standing by his government's controversial health reforms.
He says Transforming Health, which includes a more centralised approach and has closed at least one major metropolitan hospital, will create a better healthcare system for the state.
"This idea that somehow there's going to be some nirvana by having individual democracy breaking out all across South Australia as we all run our healthcare units in splendid isolation from one another is absurd," he told an Australian Medical Association function on Wednesday.
Health professionals have been vocal against the policy but Mr Weatherill said he had expected key stakeholders to offer a critical assessment.
"These are scientists," he told reporters after the AMA gathering.
"They're people who want to be driven by data, they want to see the results, and that's what the modernising of the health care system has all been about."
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall told the AMA there was no proof Transforming Health was working.
"The only problem with the premier's answer is that he won't provide the data that would support the action the government is taking," Mr Marshall said.
AMA South Australian president William Tam said doctors had particular concerns with the government's rollout of an electronic records system across the hospital network.
Professor Tam said it was putting patients lives at risk and didn't help doctors with their day-to-day work.
"An electronic patient record system is useful for patient care, but we do need one that works efficiently and productively," he said.
Share
