Despite what the gloom-mongers say, Australian healthcare is not going too bad — life expectancy is at 82.5 years, costs are relatively cheap, actual health outcomes are better than many other comparable countries and, importantly, it’s nothing like in the US system.

But with the release this week of a Grattan Institute reform wish list, we have selected nine ideas pitched by its policy experts, ranging from getting GP practices to publish outcomes data to reducing inefficiencies in the high-spending public hospital system.

State government should be encouraged to expand outpatient services in the public system, the institute says. It would reduce the out-of-pocket costs faced by patients.

There is no reason these services should be delivered in the same physical building as other hospital activities, it adds.